Damaged Gods: Dying Chains
by Sierra Sutherwinds
Summary: Thor and Loki are declared traitors and sent to maximum security prison. Soon, they will find that this won't be for life. Rated T for adult content, very subtle but it's there. The rest is for blood, pain and angst. No pairing or slash. Few weeks after TTDW's surprising ending. First story from a trilogy.
1. That it should come to this

_Author's note: First Thor fanfic. It's been a while since I published my last story. Personal tragedy precipitated a writer's block that could only be cured by Tom Hiddleston and his magnificent Loki. I hope I'll do justice to this character and others in Marvel movies universe. _

_This the first of three (tentatively) stories. I hope you enjoy it. English is not my first language, I beta it as much as I can._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Thor characters, OC are mine, names are from mythology and na__mes generators online. _

_This story takes place a few weeks after The Dark World, Loki is impersonating Odin and Thor is back in Midgard with Jane. _

* * *

**1. That it should come to this**

Loki jumped out of bed at the first knock on the door. He ran to stop anyone on the other side from opening it.

"My liege?"

Loki rolled his eyes. Nym, Odin's personal assistant, seemed never to go to bed. Loki cleared his throat and tried his best Odin voice. "What is the matter? Speak!" He covered his mouth with a hand. Scaring the poor girl was one of the highlights of impersonating the Allfather.

"We have received a message from Etzil," Nym stammered.

"Etzil?" Loki whispered. "Who do we know in Etzil?" His mind was making a brief review of their family tree while Nym went on with the message.

"It's your brother, Allfather, Lodur. He says he will come in two days."

Loki felt weak all of a sudden. He was in no condition for guests, especially distant relatives. He dismissed the servant with his last breath and went back to bed. Everything had worked so well after he came back from Svartalfheim. He had assumed Odin's role with all his might; no one suspected treachery, even Thor was satisfied with his fatherly words.

Suddenly, his perfect little world had begun to crumble. The wound he had received in the last battle was not healing, and he could not keep his Odin illusion for too long. People had started to talk about the Allfather's condition. He looked sick, or sad… _How about pained?_ Loki exhaled. As if all of that were not enough, his uncle –or Thor's uncle, more accurately, was coming to visit Odin. Would he notice any difference? Certainly, Lodur had not seen his brother in a long time, but Loki's impersonation was getting weaker. If they noticed hesitation in his demeanor, it would be the end of the cozy life.

He closed his eyes, gathering strength to produce Odin's face and body. Loki contemplated his magic in the mirror and for a moment, it seemed to work fine. Then, the image disappeared slowly. In its place, there was Loki; his hair had lost its shine, his eyes were glassy, circled by dark shades. He did not remember being so pale and thin. Waves of pain hit him intermittently, leaving little time for him to rest.

"Mother, I'm dying," he whispered, staring at the blood stain in his shirt. It was bigger than this morning, he thought. Impersonating Odin all day long was exhausting. Loki was not sure for how long he could keep it up.

Fortunately, the night had come and no one expected the Allfather to solve their problems after hours. Loki took off his shirt and threw it on the floor. He would take care of it in the morning. For now, he just wanted to drop in bed and sleep. Maybe this would be the night when the bad dreams would stop; the night he would not wake up crying for Frigga.

He stretched, but the pain began to pound as soon as he put his head on the pillow.

* * *

Thor woke up, gasping for air. It took him a moment to understand that the pain was only in his mind and not in his body. He sat up very slowly, trying not to disturb Jane. She had been putting up with his nightmares for almost two weeks now. Her patience seemed endless.

Thor took a deep breath and she opened her eyes.

"Again?" she said in a sigh.

He nodded slightly. "It was nothing, I am sorry."

Jane sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Thor, it's been three nights in a row."

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be," she said, offering him the glass of water from her night table. "I worry about you. Would you like to see a doctor?"

"Oh, no," Thor took a sip of water and coughed. "I'm fine, I don't need a healer. Besides, there is little Mitgardian healers can do for a-"

"God?" She grinned. "Don't underestimate our resources."

"I was going to say, an Asgardian. We are a little different." He sat at the edge of the bed, placing his feet on the floor. He grunted, rubbing his face.

Jane came around the other side and put a hand on his knee. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He stood up and started to pace around the room; one hand on his neck and his eyes closed. "It's always the same dream, Jane."

She sighed. "Listen, my mother used to work at crazy hours. I was basically raised by my grandmother. She was my best friend, playing with me, teaching me stuff..." her eyes watered with the memories. "After she died, I dreamed she came back and-"

"No, no. You do not understand. Where I come from, dreams mean something; premonitions, omens… I see Loki-"

"Thor, Loki died. We saw him; he exhaled his last breath in your arms. You're just mourning."

"Loki hated me, why would I dream about him?" He reached for his shirt. "Something is not right, Jane."

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"Wait, what?" Jane put on her nightgown. "It's past midnight."

Thor snorted. "It's the best hour, if we do not want to disturb the neighbors with Heimdall's rainbow." He turned to see the anxiety in his girlfriend's eyes. Thor came to sit next to her and took her chin in his hand. "I will be back soon. I just need to see that everything is all right in my realm. Allfather-"

"It won't take you another two years?"

Thor smiled. "I will be back as soon as I talk to my father, I promise."

"Then, go; before I regret it." Jane smiled too. She saw him stand up tall and strong. His faithful Mjiolnir came from the closet right to his hand. Thor looked ready to leave. But he did not. She frowned, and then, she sighed. "You need me to give you a ride." He nodded shyly. She rolled her eyes and went for the car keys in the kitchen.

* * *

"Lie still, it is almost done."

Loki clenched his teeth, while the old woman worked on his wound. He counted the cracks on the ceiling and the walls; the holes on the ragged curtains, anything to keep his mind away from the pain. "This cabin is falling apart, Ulrika" he panted.

"You came in the middle of the night, asking for my help and all you can do is insulting my house?" the woman snorted. "Certainly, it is not the healing room in your palace of gold." She limped to a cabinet and grabbed some flasks. "And yet, Odin's son prefers to come here."

"I'm not-!" Loki made a sudden movement and the pain tore him inside. "I am not his son…"

"For every purpose you seem to be," the woman came back to the table and mixed some powders together in a towel. She ignored his grunts as she tied it up on his side. "This is as much as I can do." She helped him to sit up and began to gather her things.

Loki stayed still while the pain settled. He looked at the floor and exhaled. "Am I dying?"

Ulrika shook her head. "Immortals, the longer you live, the more afraid you are of dying."

"This wound should have healed weeks ago. Why is it not healing?" Loki slid off the table, slowly recovering his balance.

"Dark elves had dark magic. Their ways were lost in the ancient battles. My knowledge does not go that far. That spear must have been poisoned, or cursed." She glanced at him and shrugged. "Instead of asking why you have not healed, you should ask why you are still alive."

Loki frowned. "And you know the answer to that?"

"I see it in your aura, my lord. You have come to see me for more reasons than healing your body."

Loki bent forward to meet her in the eye. "How good are you at foreseeing the future?"

"I am as good as the best volva in your realm."

"You're the only volva in this realm, Ulrika." He paced around. "Odin's brother, Lodur, is about to arrive. I need to know how much he knows, will I be able to keep this going?"

Ulrika laughed and pointed at the bloody cloth in the basin. "Well, he is not coming to pay respects to your memory."

"That does not answer my question, old woman. Is my life in danger?"

Ulrika stared at him for a moment. "You are not strong enough to substitute for your father. At this rate, you will destroy yourself. You are closer to the land of the dead than you think."

Loki did not even blink. "Oh, sure; and I'll be missed greatly."

Ulrika shook her head. "The realm misses you already. There were prayers in the temples. They remember your name in war songs. Everybody was impressed by the stories that your brother Thor brought from Svartalfheim. Odin cried…"

"Yes, the funeral could not have gone better if I had planned it myself; which I did." He smiled at the memories. Then, he took a purposeful breath. "It was nice while it lasted. But now, I suppose things have changed and I have to move on."

The old woman shrugged. "It is too late. Someone is about to uncover your secret tonight."

"So be it," he sighed. "Once they know the truth, there will not be much to tell."

"Haven't you found your answer yet?" Ulrika frowned.

Loki sat on a chair, resting his elbows on the table. "It's gone," he shook his head. "I searched but the memory is not there anymore."

"Do you want me to seek again?" She almost touched his temples with both hands but Loki jerked away.

"Don't you dare, witch! I have more pain than I can bear." Loki got up and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To the palace, I need to buy me some time before everything crumbles to the ground."

tbc

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	2. Where's your father?

**2. Where's your father?**

Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost welcomed Thor as though he had been waiting for him. "I cannot tell what it is, but there are rumors about Allfather's health."

Thor frowned in disbelief. "Rumors? Has he seen the healers?"

"I can only speak for what I have seen. Odin is weary and tired, although he conceals it very well. He spends more time in his quarters than in the courtroom. The Council gathers without his presence and most of his meetings with the ambassadors have been cancelled."

"That does not sound like Father at all. He must be suffering from Mother's absence more than he wants to admit. I will talk to him immediately."

Heimdall hesitated before telling him the most recent news. "This has not come out public yet, but I think you must know that Lodur is arriving."

"My uncle? When? What for?"

"Soon. He comes to see the Allfather."

Thor shook his head. He had just come back and he felt overwhelmed already.

* * *

Loki virtually flew through the window of Odin's room. He could barely walk to the bed; the race from Ulrika's had left him breathless and the pain pierced his side mercilessly. Nonetheless, he managed to get there before Thor even knocked on his door.

"Father?"

Loki's heart beat fast. He jumped out of bed, looking around for any hints of his presence. The bloody shirt was on the floor and the bedding was also stained. He had no magic left to clean up and transform into Odin at the same time. Quickly, he grabbed the shirt and hid it under the sheets. He made the bed as well as he could and took a deep breath.

"Come in, my son," Odin's raspy voice welcomed Thor.

"Father!"

Loki/Odin gasped at Thor's warm embrace. Excruciating pain ran through him and he had to sit down before he lost his balance.

"You are unwell, Allfather," Thor said, kneeling in front of him. "I could not believe it when they told me-"

"They," Loki/Odin narrowed his eye. "With whom have you been talking?"

"Heimdall and most of your servants. They are really concerned. What sort of ailment is this? You look pained."

"Did they go all the way to Midgard to tell you about my welfare?" Loki/Odin had to suppress a grin. Poor old Thor had finally found time to spend with his beloved Jane Foster.

"It was not them, Father. Something else alerted me." Thor sat on the floor, the way Loki and he did as children, listening to their father's stories. "Nightmares… I have been dreaming."

Loki/Odin was for once interested on Thor's conversation. "Indeed? Tell me more."

"It is about Loki," he lowered his voice when pronouncing the name. "I see him running away from something. I feel his fear… I think he's in pain."

Loki/Odin crossed his arms over his chest to conceal the tremors in his hands. "Loki is dead. He is in Valhalla; there is no more pain."

Thor rubbed the back of his neck, not too convinced of his father's words. "I don't know what to think. I hear him calling my name… maybe Jane is right."

"Jane Foster? What does she have to say about this?"

"She says that I'm mourning Loki's death. That it is just sadness for his absence."

Loki/Odin bit his inner lip. A burst of laughter would not be proper. It was so much like Thor to mourn for his brother. As much as he was enjoying Thor's anguish, Loki felt that he could not hold the Odin illusion for much longer. He had to get rid of Thor fast, and get out of there before Lodur arrived.

"Son, Jane Foster is an intelligent woman. You must listen to her more often." He stood up slowly and grabbed Thor's arm for support. "Come, it has been a long day. You too need to rest." They walked to the door and he almost pushed Thor out. "We will talk more in the morning, before you return to Midgard."

"Return to Midgard? You think it would be wise? It seems to me that you need help-"

"I am better than ever. Yes, I miss your mother but, for what I see, I am doing much better than you." He held the door for a moment before closing it. "Go to bed, rest, dream of your mother and brother and get some peace."

Thor did not find any words to say. His father did not seem ready to ask for help. Still, there was something different… He was about to leave when he remembered his uncle. Maybe Odin still did not know the news. He knocked at his father's door but there was no answer. Carefully, he forced it open.

Odin was already in bed, snoring and all. Thor came; quietly up to the bed, not wanting to startle him. "Father?" he gently touched his shoulder. The image of his father dissolved before his eyes. Thor breathed deeply and hit the pillow with his fist. "I knew it! Loki!"

* * *

Loki felt the cold settle in his bones. He cursed his own weakness; a frost giant would never resent this weather. He was not a real Asgardian, and as it seemed, he was no better as a Jotun. On top of it, his healing abilities were taking ages to take effect. What ignominious way to die, especially for a god…

He stopped several times, watching over his shoulder. Thor must know by now that Odin was just an illusion and his annoying little step-brother was alive and kicking. This would be a good time to do something about that, before Thor, Sif and the Three found him. If Loki knew them well, they would kill him –several times- before asking any questions; and then, they would kill him some more.

* * *

"How did he do it?" Hogun frowned. "Killing Odin is impossible."

"He found the way, apparently," said Sif, still in shock at the news. "We have been talking to him, training under his supervision. I can't believe he fooled me."

"Loki fooled us all," Volstagg shook his head. "And to think that I almost cried at his funeral."

"I just took flowers to his grave," Sif said.

"You too?" Fandral crossed his arms in front of him. "How about you, Hogun?"

"No flowers," he shrugged. "But I prayed for him in the temple."

Thor kept his eyes on the table they were assembled around. He felt betrayed just once more. He could not understand how Loki kept acting like that. He had apologized for wrongs he did not remember but his brother was never appeased.

"So, Loki killed Odin and took his place?" Volstagg cleaned the ale off his beard with the back of his hand. "Shall we quarter him?"

"Loki will be finding pieces of himself for weeks," Sif grinned.

Fandral laughed and turned to Thor. The god of thunder was not amused at their jokes. Fandral tapped Thor on the shoulder. "Come on, my friend. We know how you feel about your brother. Tell us, what do you really want us to do with him? We'll follow your lead."

Thor shook his head, not looking anyone in the eye. "He has gone too far this time. We must stop him."

"Do you think he killed the Allfather?" Sif asked him.

"I don't think so. He's not that stupid. Killing Father would mean death for all of us and the nine realms. He must have hidden him somewhere."

"Well, we torture him till he tells us where Odin is." Fandral got up.

"We have to find him first," Hogun said.

"And trap him," Sif got up too. "That will not be easy."

"Do you have any idea of how to do that, Thor?" Fandral asked.

"He is not well; I found blood on the clothes he left behind. I'm not sure if I know Loki anymore, but I think he must seek help for his ailment." He got up purposefully. "We need to cover the four corners of the city. Look in the shadows, do not engage him alone. I will bring my father's ravens. Huginn and Muninn will be our eyes from above. I'll see you in the square; do not move until I come back."

* * *

_I know, the chapters are a bit short but sometimes, people get intimidating with too many words._

_I'll publish the story often, but giving you time to read and review._

_mudpie 102 and A nonny mouse, thank you for your support and encouraging reviews! _


	3. Hear poor rogues talk of court news

**3. Hear poor rogues talk of court news.**

Life in the palace began rather early. The guards took their usual place and the servants prepared to serve the first meal of the day. Confusion started when Nym came down from the royal rooms with alarming news.

"Allfather is gone!" she told Shyrd, the household marshal.

"Impossible! Didn't you tell him about his brother's arrival?"

"Yes, last night, before he retired."

"What did he say?"

"Not much, he sounded upset; as though he didn't like the idea of seeing his brother."

Shyrd shook her head and looked around. "We do not talk about the Allfather's ways, especially in the palace."

"But, what should I do now? The steward is asking me for the Allfather's whereabouts and the butler needs his approval," Nym panted with despair.

"Women, what is going on here?" Rothld's voice made them shake in their shoes.

"Nothing, sir... Butler," Nym stammered.

"We have a problem, Rothld," Shyrd talked with propriety. "I'm afraid the Allfather is gone."

"Gone? Impossible! What are you saying?"

"He's not in his room, he's nowhere to be found," Nym said.

The butler wiped sweat off his forehead. Of all days for things to go wrong, it had to be this one. He suddenly remembered something. "Thor! He came back last night. Let's call him and see what he can do."

"Er," Nym smiled shyly, as Rothld and Shyrd prepared to leave. "He didn't sleep in his room. He went to see his father, and went out afterwards."

"We're doomed," Rothld shook his head. "Go to your posts, I will prepare the Court room for -whoever comes to sit on that throne."

* * *

Thor got tired of watching the ravens circling in the sky. He sat at the fountain in the main square and waited for the sun to come out.

"It's useless, Sif. We have been chasing shadows. Even Huginn and Muninn are confused."

"You know your brother, when he wants to disappear, he does it," Sif shrugged. "We can look for other ways to find your father."

Thor hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Damn! My uncle is coming today!"

"Who?"

"Lodur, father's youngest brother." He got up to call the ravens. "I must go to the palace. Tell The Three what has happened. There will be a reception this afternoon, I will see you all there."

"We'll be," Sif smiled. "And we'll keep on looking for your brother."

"Thank you, Sif. I'll appreciate it." Thor looked at the sky and frowned. "That is weird. One of the ravens is missing."

"Maybe he flew back to the palace."

Thor shook his head. "They miss Father."

* * *

The doors to the Court room opened, making way for Lodur and his entourage. Behind the curtains on the second floor, Shyrd and Nym counted at least one hundred soldiers. The tallest was, of course, Lodur. He looked like a younger Odin, bad tempered and bitter.

He entered as if he owned the place and took the central seat; the royal throne. He did not seem surprised to learn about his brother's absence. However, he took it personally when Thor came in without being announced.

"How you dare to interrupt the session? You should have been here hours ago."

"Forgive me, uncle," said Thor bending one knee. "I just came from Midgard last night. There have been some errands that-"

"Do not make excuses. Is this the attitude your father taught you? Is this how you aspire to be the king of Asgard?"

Thor looked up at him, showing respect to a man he barely remember from his childhood. "I talked to my father before I left. It is not my wish to inherit the throne."

"And he agreed?" Lodur frowned. "How typical of my brother." He swept a glance over the crowd and leaned back on the high chair. "In the absence of heirs, it's my duty to assume the burden of the kingdom until Odin comes back or his passing is confirmed." Lodur grinned slightly, staring at his nephew. "Of course, any suggestion about what could have happened to the Allfather will be welcome."

Thor felt Lodur watching him. He did not to dare to meet him eye to eye. Odin was missing; and there was a strong possibility that Loki had murdered him. Nonetheless, he could not give his brother away. He had to find him first and talk to him. As long as they thought Loki was dead, nothing needed to be done.

Lodur whispered something in his assistance's ear and the man called a name aloud.

"Snildmos!"

A short man came out from the crowd. His face was hidden under a heavy hood and a blue cape. His tunic was girded with a golden belt that everybody recognized as the symbol of the wise man. He took out a velvet bag and bowed to Lodur.

"I want to know if Odin still lives."

Snildmos nodded. He took a rune from his bag and read it. He shook his head slowly. "Only one person can answer that, my lord."

"Tell me, who?"

The man nodded again and took out yet other rune. This time, he had a name. "Loki, my lord."

Thor heard exclamations of surprise at his back. He turned to see his friends shrugging and shaking their heads. Thor kept his quiet attitude. "Loki died in Svartalfheim, Lodur. I saw when it happened."

"You saw Loki, the god of deceit die?" Lodur snorted. "How many times has he tricked you and everybody else here? Snildmos is my trusted wise man. If he says so, Loki is alive."

Thor tilted his head, hoping one of his friends would understand the sign to leave. Then, he turned to Lodur. "Uncle, I understand your apprehension at not knowing where my father is. I am uneasy too; and learning that my brother is still alive disturbs me greatly. With all due respect, I ask to be excused. I need to think about what has happened here and what we have to do next."

"The only think we need to do next is to find Loki." Lodur dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "Go, gather yourself together and come back ready for the next audience."

* * *

Loki crossed the busy street in two or three jumps. Late in the afternoon, the market on the main square was the centre of full activity. No one would pay attention to another black cat running around.

Now, in the darkness of a filthy alley, Loki resumed his human form and fell down on his knees. The pain left him little range of movement, and even breathing was an exhausting task. Still, he had time to hear the news from the palace.

Lodur had already taken Odin's place and put a price on Loki's head. He laughed; Odin's brother had not changed a bit. He still hated Loki's guts and he would spare no time to find him. And Thor? Mourning in his chambers, the poor boy…

Loki shook his head. He knew his stepbrother better than that. He was up to something. _Sure, as though you do not know. _Two wolves at his tail, an army if they wanted to; he would not yield.

A beating of wings interrupted his thoughts. Loki looked at the raven perched on a wire. "Muninn?" he frowned. "What are you doing here?" The bird came to his arm and began to clean up his feathers, showing how comfortable he was. "Did Thor send you? Go away. See? I'm not Odin anymore."

Muninn croaked and took fly. Somehow, Loki knew he had to follow that bird. He leaned on the wall to gather strength. Muninn hovered over him, until he was well enough to walk. He could see the raven perching around every time he had to slow down. For the first time since Frigga's death, Loki felt that he was not alone.

* * *

Fandral stared at the raven, circling above them all of a sudden. "Do you think he wants us to follow him?"

Hogun shadowed his eyes with one hand. "He's Allfather's raven, they always have a purpose."

"Who is this one, Thor: Huginn or Muninn?" asked Volstagg, as the god of thunder came closer.

"I don't know. Only father can tell them apart," he said, tucking the hammer in his belt. "There is one missing, so I think the other one must be near."

"Are we going to follow the ravens again? It did not go too well last night." Sif would have preferred to grab her horse and look for Odin all over the Nine Realms. She still was not convinced of the uprightness of finding Loki.

"If that is what it takes, so it will be. No one will lay a hand on my brother but me." He glanced at the sky one more time. "If Loki hurt Father in any way, I want to be the first to rip his head off."

"I guess you will have your chance," Fandral pointed ahead. "The raven has just landed, that way."

"We can go on foot," said Volstagg.

"Where did the bird go?" Sif asked.

"Quite near," said Hogun, "Ulrika's lair."

* * *

Ulrika opened the door before Thor knocked. She did not look surprised at seeing him or the warriors behind him. Huginn flew in to perch on the cupboard, next to Muninn.

"What an honor, the son of Odin comes to visit this poor old woman."

"One of my father's ravens guided me here. I think I will find the other one, and something else." He looked over the woman's head. Except for the ravens, the one-room cabin seemed empty.

"You might, if you come alone." Ulrika glanced at Sif and the Three.

Thor nodded and the others stepped back. He entered and the door closed behind him.

* * *

"I was wondering," said Fandral. "If Loki took Allfather's place, which one indulted us?"

Hogun sighed. "Loki, I'm afraid."

"That was nice of him, wasn't it?" Fandral grinned.

"Does it mean that we are still accounted as traitors?" Volstagg frowned.

"We might be," Sif shrugged, without taking her eyes off Ulrika's door.

Muninn flew from the cupboard to Ulrika's mattress on the floor. Loki materialized slowly, before dropping down, unconscious. Only then, the raven went back to his place on the cupboard.

Thor crouched next to the mattress, hesitating at the idea of touching Loki and seeing him vanish. His brother looked at peace, despite the filth and paleness. Thor took his brother's hand in his; it felt unusually warm. His concern grew.

"What is wrong with my brother?"

"He was slayed in Svartalfheim; you were there."

Thor looked up at Ulrika, puzzled by her words. "But he died. I saw him exhale his last breath."

"He protected himself with magic."

"But, why is he like this?"

The old woman shrugged. "Evidently, his magic was not strong enough."

"Is he dying?" he said, squeezing Loki's hand.

"That question again," Ulrika laughed. "Only Odin knows when and how we will die. Your brother is being held by magic; not his, not mine."

Loki exhaled and opened his eyes. Seconds passed before he regained awareness. He sat up too fast and everything around swirled. He covered his eyes with the talon of his hands. "What's happening? Now I see shadows," he whispered.

"It's me, brother. You do not have to run anymore. I'm here now." Thor put his hand on Loki's arm.

"Stay away from me! I have no brothers!" Loki pushed him and crawled to the wall. He got up and stumbled to the center of the room.

Thor watched Loki, who leaned heavily against the table, with his left hand holding his right side. Thor knew that his brother was hanging on by the thread of his own arrogance. He turned to Ulrika for answers.

"He will not accept my magic," she said showing Thor the flask in her hand.

"Do not speak as though I were not here," Loki said, staring at the table. "Your magic makes me sleepy; I do not wish to sleep to my death. Besides, that thing tastes like rubbish."

"This will not make you sleep; it will slow down the pain. You might walk."

Thor pulled out a chair and made him sit. Loki had to be really weak since he did not challenge him at all. Ulrika opened his mouth gently and poured in the contents of the flask.

Loki shook his head. "Stop! I'll spit it out!"

She covered his mouth with one hand. "Oh, no, you will not. Swallow!"

He glared at the old woman and did as she said. Thor was impressed. Besides Frigga, no one could tell Loki what to do without starting a revolution. He sat down next to his brother, studying his features as he spoke.

"Can we talk?" Thor did not expect an answer. "Loki, why did you do it? Why fake your own death?"

"Do you want me to give you a reason? Let's see," Loki said, leaning back on the chair. "You told me that the cell awaited my return, that without Frigga, my life was worth nothing. In addition to that, you committed treason, and dragged me with you."

Thor nodded. "I understand your motives. But the farce is over, we need to know-"

Loki stared at him, trying to understand what Thor was up to. "Aren't you going to take me back to the palace? I'm sure your uncle will be thrilled to see me."

"He only wants to know the same thing I do. Where is our father?"

Loki sat up straight in his chair and glanced at Ulrika. "Do it!"

"Are you sure?" She asked dubiously.

"This is the only way; he won't believe me otherwise."

Thor turned form one to the other. "What are you talking about? What should I believe?"

Ulrika put her thumbs on Loki's eyes to keep them closed and touched his temples with two fingers. "I enter his mind and search. I ask the question: Where is Odin? And the answer…" At that precise moment, Loki screamed in pain. She pulled her hands out before Loki grabbed them in a fit of desperation. "The memories are not there. All I see is a void."

Loki kept his eyes closed, as though gathering energy just to function again. "Do not say a word!" he warned Thor, fearing a funny retort to Ulrika's last sentence.

Thor was speechless. He was prepared for the worst, but he did not know what to do with this. "Are you telling me that you don't remember where you put Father?"

Loki leaned on the table, resting his forehead on his arms. "I don't even remember how I took his place… I know I did it deliberately; but then, there is darkness. Odin's memories are gone."

There was silence while Thor understood the gravity of the situation. Suddenly, Loki burst into laughing. "What is it now?" Thor yelled.

"I just pictured your father in the shape of a troll, locked in a cave somewhere."

"Loki!" Thor clenched his teeth.

"Do not fret; I'm sure I didn't turn him into a troll." Loki tried a straight face but it did not last long. "I'm sorry, but even you have to admit that this is a funny situation."

Thor paced around, trying to clear up his mind. "Funny? I'll tell you what is funny. Our father is missing and our uncle is in his throne. If you haven't noticed, there is a price on your head too."

"Firstly, it is not my father and it's not my uncle!" Loki got up, slamming the table with open hands. "Secondly," he smiled, "I don't care."

Thor felt the impulse of hitting his brother with Mjiolnir, but it was not his intention to end up their fight with one of them dying. Besides, Ulrika was already between them; and she did not look happy.

"You will not bring your family quarrel into my house. While you have been yelling at each other, a vision has come to me." She pointed at the door.

Fandral entered. "I'm sorry to interrupt but the guards are coming."

"How did they know-?" Loki frowned before turning to Thor. "You brought them here! They knew you would be looking for me."

Thor shook his head. He could not believe how clumsy he had been. "I apologize, I will talk to Lodur. He will have to listen. It will be all right, I promise." A knock on the door startled them. "Open it," Thor signed to Fandral, "let them in."

* * *

_No much to say except that I thank you for reading, for the Favs and the Alerts. I hope no letting you down with the rest of the story. It gets better from here, I guess. Take your time to review if you please._


	4. Let's the doors be shut upon them

_**Warning: the following chapters contain episodes of mind rape (violent assault to the mind) It is not too descriptive but better safe than sorry, you are warned.**_

* * *

**5. Let the doors be shut upon them**

At midnight, a procession of guards and prisoner did not drag much attention. Loki was grateful for that. People murmuring behind him were always annoying when parading in chains to the throne room. He would not admit it, but he was also grateful for having Thor beside him. At least, so he felt for a while.

"Try not to antagonize Lodur, you know how bad tempered he can be," Thor paced from one wall to the other in the waiting room. Loki was rather quiet, sitting on a bench, with his elbows resting on his knees. "He does not need to know every detail about you and Father. Just tell him what you know. Be honest-"

"Shut up!" Loki yelled, rubbing his forehead.

The guards at the door turned to look at them but did not move. Thor signed to them to stay put. He looked at his brother. "Are you all right?"

Loki rubbed his face and sat up straight. "I will be when you finish your futile lecture. I know Lodur, as well as you do. He hates me as much as I hate you. He will shout and curse; and probably send me to the dungeons for whipping and torturing." He shrugged. "I can take it; I'm not new to that."

The massive door opened. "Lodur waits for you, Loki Laufeyson," announced a counselor.

Loki got up slowly. Thor came to his side. "I'll be with you all the way, brother. Remember that."

"Don't threaten me." Loki stood up before the guards yanked his chains. Both brothers stepped in at the same time.

Lodur did not hide his anger towards Loki. His chances to occupy Odin's throne as a direct successor had diminished with Thor's birth and almost vanished after Loki's arrival. Now that everybody knew about his obscure origins, Loki was out of the line of succession to the throne.

"Loki Laufeyson, you are accused of escaping from prison, conspiracy to seize the throne and kidnaping Allfather. What do you have to say in your defense?"

Loki grinned widely and shrugged. "I was just a victim of the circumstances, my lord."

Thor could see Lodur's face turning red. "Are you ready to tell us what you did with Odin?"

"Well, there is a funny story about that-"

"Loki!" Thor whispered.

"It is funny," Loki said. "I don't remember."

"What did you say?" Lodur leaned forward with a menacing stare.

Loki leaned forward too. "I. Do. Not. Remember."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Actually…" Loki snorted.

"One hundred lashes! Solitary confinement… no, wait…" he grinned with a new idea. "Stay over there, we still have another matter to clarify."

Loki gave Thor a told-you-so glance, while the guards pushed him to the corner. Thor felt compelled to make one last effort to help his brother. "Uncle, please, he is wounded, and he probably doesn't know what he's saying… Have mercy."

Loki rolled his eyes.

"I'm aware of his wound and how it was attained saving your life." Lodur grinned again. "Is it not true that you helped a prisoner to escape? Disobeyed direct orders from the Allfather and put at risk innocent citizens by recklessly piloting an alien spaceship?"

"What?" Thor was puzzled by the turn of events. Loki laughed out loud.

Lodur ignored him as he went on. "Did you or didn't you put in danger Odin's adopted son?"

"I suppose so, but Father forgave us and-" Thor suddenly remembered that when he had talked with his father, Odin was already gone. He turned to Loki, who tilted his head and laughed.

"Speak no more! Thor Odinson, Loki Laufeyson, you both are found guilty of treason. You will be therefore sent to the Island of Hafnarfjall, for a period not shorter than five hundred years."

"Hafnarfjall is for insane criminals! I won't languish in prison with lowlifes and scoundrels."

Lodur spoke directly to Loki. "You might get out earlier, when your memory gets better."

Thor could barely believe that he was being chained. This was completely unexpected; he had never been in prison, except maybe, to visit his brother. The guard was rather careful and quiet.

"Sir, please," he said in a low voice, hesitant to push Thor out of the throne room. "This way."

"Do not fear doing your duty, Thaenest," Thor half smiled.

"We are truly sorry for this, but your uncle-" another guard played nervously with the keys.

"Say no more, Heas. I know who is by my side in this ordeal," he nodded. "I won't hold any quarrel against neither of you."

"Be careful where you put your hands, you witless creature!" Loki ranted against the guard that was locking the chains around his waist.

Thor gave his two guards an apologetic smile. Thaenest nodded and looked around to make sure no one was watching. He quickly took a piece of bread out of his cloak and put it in Thor's hands. "It is not much, but the road to Hafnarfjall is long and heavy."

"I appreciate your concern but I will be fine." He hid the bread in his shirt.

"Keep your hands and head inside the boat at all times. Sea creatures are more aggressive at night."

"Thank you, Heas. I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

"He's sending Thor to Hafnarfjall?" Sif was both surprised and enraged. "Why? Loki is the one who took the Allfather."

"And Thor decapitated his grandfather's statue," Fandral shook his head.

"All Lodur wants is the throne. He could not reign for long with Thor around." Volstagg shrugged. "Now that he got him out of the way, nothing can stop him."

"Except for Odin to come back," Hogun said.

"That is not going to happen any time soon," Sif hit the table with her fist. "What are we going to do in the meantime?"

"Well," said Fandral. "It's late to stop the boat. But we can put our heads together and find a way to get Thor out of the island."

The Three and Sif drank to Thor's name and his speedy return to Asgard.

* * *

The ship glided on the water before taking off again. The captain had decided to sail barely above the water because a thunderstorm was coming from the north. Thor watched the lightning on the horizon and wished his hammer would come and reach him. Unfortunately, he was ordered to put it back on the relic chamber before they left. Without Mjiolnir, all hopes of freedom began to abandon him.

Thor looked at the empty faces around him. He had been a prisoner of war in several occasions and knew that these were no soldiers or common criminals. Hafnarfjal was made to contain the worst of lawbreakers, and Loki was right; they did not belong among them.

He felt the weight of Loki's head on his shoulder; his brother had fallen asleep again. Thor did not dare move or touch him so as not to upset his slumber. Although he was weary and weak, Loki had not been able to sleep more than five or fifteen minutes at a time. He said it was the sounds of the sea that kept him awake; but Thor knew that nightmares crowded his dreams.

One of the prisoners got seasick and had to lean overboard to throw up. The others laughed; but soon there were more in the same condition.

"At least, we'll have some entertainment," Loki smiled, sitting up straight.

"Keep your arms and head inside the boat," Thor remembered all of a sudden.

A splash was the only warning before the first prisoner fell in the water.

"Draugar!" someone shouted.

"Stay inside the ship! Do not move!" the captain commanded, signing to the guards to shoot to kill.

Thor looked at the dark waters; shades, like seaweed, moved along the boat, waiting for the chance to drag them to the bottom of the sea. A second prisoner saw them too late.

"I do not want to die! Those monsters are going to eat us all!" screamed another one before being shot by the guards.

"Does anyone else want to take the easy way out?" The captain glared at Thor and Loki. He seemed eager to put them both to the test.

"I have the feeling that there is a price over our heads," Thor whispered.

"You'll get used to it," Loki exhaled, grimacing in pain. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, Thor had a piece of bread in his hand.

"Take it; you need to keep your strength." To Thor's surprise, Loki accepted it without complaining. That was not a good sign at all; but at least, he was eating something.

Two hours and three dead prisoners later, the ship arrived to port. The darkness prevented them from seeing the grim landscape surrounding them. There was only a path to follow, lit by torches all the way up to the top of the hill. The fortress was a combination of steel and stone, and the lights barely illuminated the entire place.

The first room was a narrow corridor, where the prisoners formed a long queue.

"Strip!" ordered one of the guards.

Thor and Loki hesitated, showing how new they were to these sorts of procedures. Someone picked up all the clothing and someone else handed out bluish grey uniforms. Loki wrinkled his nose at the color and the smell of disinfectant, but did not raise any objections.

The warden of staff came closer. "What is this?" he asked, touching the bandage on Loki's right side. It hurt, but Loki just winced.

"Stop," Thor stepped forward and grabbed the warden's arm.

Another guard punched Thor on the ribs. He was not strong enough to make much damage, but he managed to throw Thor against the wall.

"You are Prince Loki," said the warden. Loki pulled up the uniform pants as he felt all the stares on him. "We were waiting for you." The warden signed to one guard to escort him.

"Oh, Odin's youngest. What an honor." Someone grunted.

"We will be waiting for you, your majesty," said someone else.

Loki turned and pointed at Thor. "This is my brother, Thor. Certainly, you've heard about him too," he said. "They're all yours," he whispered to Thor, buttoning his shirt.

Thor stared at him as the guard took him away. "Where are you taking him?"

"To his chambers," the warden said. "He's been given the special treatment."

Thor was mad at the guards for beating him; at the warden for allowing it and at Loki for being Loki, under the worst of circumstances. He turned to see the other prisoners, looking at him with hungry eyes. Suddenly, being mad at Loki did not matter anymore. This was a war Thor was determined to win.

* * *

Loki walked between two guards; the front man let him by the chain in his collar and the man behind him held the chain around Loki's waist. They came to a spiral staircase and began to climb. The first two turns were rather easy, with torches lighting the steps. However, the next sections were darker and darker; to the point that Loki barely saw the guard in front of him. He stumbled on the irregular steps; he could not see what was in front of him but he reckoned that the spiral would extend for several turns. He took a purposeful breath as he felt his strength deserting him. Under no circumstances would he allow these men to see his weakness.

The end of the stairs came abruptly. One of the guards lit a torch to unlock the door. The other guard pulled out a knife and signed. "Ready," he said.

"Ready for what?" Loki asked staring at the knife.

"Your cellmate; we can't let him out."

Loki frowned attentively at the opened door. The darkness inside was deeper than outside; as though behind the door there was nothing more than a huge black hole.

* * *

Thor walked in line with the new prisoners; the cells were at both sides of an infinite corridor. The guards shoved each prisoner through the doors and locked them fast. One guard grabbed Thor by the arm but another yelled.

"Not there; he is coming this way."

They pushed him to the end of the corridor. "Your chambers, your majesty," the guard laughed.

The room was not bigger than a quarter of the pantry in the palace's kitchen. It was hard to believe that it could lodge two men at once. Thor looked at the bunk beds, wondering which one he should take.

"I go on top." The grunt came from behind the door. Thor looked at the shadows, from the ceiling to the floor. "I'm down here, giant."

Thor saw the owner of that deep voice. "A dwarf!" said he, innocently.

"Oh, good Aesir! I wouldn't notice it if you hadn't made it so public." The red-haired man stared at Thor with bright emerald eyes. He has a thick beard that covered most of his face, a prominent nose and bushy eyebrows. He wore a blue bonnet over a long braid that fell on his shoulders. He climbed to the upper bunker with no apparent effort and sat on the edge with his feet dangling in the air. "As I said, I go on top."

"It's all yours, my friend," said Thor with his usual kindness. "May I know with whom I am sharing this room?"

"Morgen Mountainfury is my name and if you want to know more, you'll have to torture me."

"Why would I want to torture you? We've just met," Thor sat on the lower bunk. "My name is Thor, Master Mountainfury, nice to meet you."

"Did you say Thor? Are you, by any chance Odin's son?"

Thor hesitated before giving that name. His uncle could be spying on him. On the other hand, he was just too tired to be suspicious. "That's who I am. Do you have any quarrel with that?"

"Not at all," the dwarf leaned forward to observe him closely. "You certainly have a resemblance to the old man. But, why are you here? Did your uncle send you to interrogate me?"

Thor frowned. "What do you know about my uncle? And what is that all about interrogation and torture? You are the one asking all the questions."

"I'm sorry, but I need to make sure you're not here to spy on me."

That was funny, Thor thought. What twist of destiny had brought together two men in the same situation? Maybe instead of shutting his doors, he should seek for allies. Thor lied down and exhaled. "Well, Master Mountainfury, I will tell you my story if you shared yours with me."

The dwarf laughed. "I'm Morgen, Master Mountainfury was my father. Go on, son, tell away."

* * *

Loki had decided to wait by the door until his eyes got used to the darkness. He was not particularly keen to sit on the floor unaware of what was around him. However, after almost an hour, the black was still black and he could not see his own hand in front of him. The silence was creepy, since he knew he was not alone. Or was he?

The guards could be playing a joke on him. It would not be the first time that someone had tried to trick the god of tricksters. Sure, that would be the easy way. But he knew there was someone else with him. His senses never fooled him. Although it could be just the fever from his wound messing up with his head.

"You can come out now," he said. "I hear you breathing."

Silence was broken almost immediately. "Liar."

The male voice was calm and warm; even so, it ran like ice down Loki's spine. He could not tell where it came from and the darkness did not allow any contrast or shades. It could be moving, or flying around him; Loki could not tell.

"Who are you?" he asked, unsure of wanting to hear the answer.

"A friend."

"I have no friends without a name."

"You do not have friends," the voice came closer.

Loki felt the cold of something frozen getting closer. His heart pounded and his head spun. He made an effort to even his breathing; but for some reason, he could not stop panting. For the first time since they had captured him, he longed for his magic. The shackles prevented any kind of supernatural manifestation, leaving Loki defenseless. If the entity –man or monster move towards him, he could not sense it.

"I feel your fear," sang the voice. "Poor fallen god."

"Do you have a name?" Loki kept asking questions. He did not mean to socialize but to reckon how far it was and how fast it moved. "I am-"

"Loki, of course; I know you well." There was a laugh that crept into Loki's guts. "I see everything and hear everything. I knew you were coming."

Loki felt something grazing his cheek and recoiled hitting the wall. He realized that he could not run or hide. "What are you? A demon?" he shouted.

"There are no demons here…"

Cold fingers touched his temples. "What are you doing? Stop right now!" He tried to raise his arms but all his body went numb.

"Relax, let me feel you. I have never been inside a god before."

Loki felt his head fill with noise. The cold burned his skin as though his fever were rising all of a sudden. He wished to lose consciousness but something inside him forbade it. Little by little, Loki abandoned the fight. The entity was inside him, prying, drinking all his thoughts. For a moment, his mind went blank. He opened his eyes to nothingness. He heard screams over the cacophony inside his brain. It took him a while to realize that it was himself screaming.

* * *

Morgen jumped down from his bunk to stare at Thor eye to eye. "Is that true? You are Loki's brother, then."

"Yes," said Thor, resting his arms behind his head. "Why? Do you know him?"

"Not personally, but he met my third cousin's sons. He lost a bet against them."

Thor sprung up. "You know Brokk?"

"Not personally; but his tale is a legend."

"He made Mjiolnir, my hammer," Thor exhaled longingly, "the best weapon I've ever had."

Morgen nodded. "It would be so useful now. Where is it?"

"In the relic room; my uncle confiscated it after my detention." He shook his head, as though brushing off the thought. "You haven't told me what you did to be made to this place."

"Well, it has to do with one of the other two presents my cousins made beside Mjiolnir." Morgen walked to the door and came back. "I'm talking about the Draupnir."

"My father's Ring of Power?" Thor frowned.

"Lodur asked me to steal it one-hundred and fifty years ago. I couldn't do it; it was a present from my family to Odin."

Thor laughed. "You never could have stolen the Draupnir. My father wears it all the time. Even if you could have entered the palace without being noticed, it is impossible for anyone to get out with it."

"Ah, you do not know me. I'm the best thief and escapist you've ever seen."

"So, he sent you here in revenge?"

"He expected me to change my mind. But, after one-hundred and fifty years, I think he has forgotten me."

Thor lowered his eyes. "And after all this time, you haven't found a way to escape?"

"There is no way to escape. Didn't you see the draugar in the water? How long do you think a dwarf would last, swimming to mainland?"

"So that's what they are? I thought they were just myths."

"Those creatures take any form they want. They mingle and prowl; once they choose their victim, there is no salvation or mercy." He leaned forward to whisper. "Rumor has it that there is one among us."

"In the fortress? How did they catch it?"

"They didn't; he was here before there was a fortress. Draugar can't move from their resting place. He lives in one of the cells; no one has seen him. Well, except for his victims."

"How do you know it is not just a story?"

Morgen whispered in a sigh. "I met someone who survived a night in that cell. Before he died, he told me what he saw."

The conversation was cut short when the lights when off and the guards ordered silence. Thor closed his eyes, looking for a place in his mind where he could find peace. His mother was gone, his father was missing and his beloved Jane was miles of stars away. There should be a way out; there should be a way to put everything back in order.

He thought of Loki. In the end, everything went back to his younger brother. He knew where Odin was. Thor needed to talk to him; they had to work together if they wanted to leave that place any time soon.

* * *

_Thank you for keep on reading. I see more and more alerts and favorites. Take time to tell me how you like the story. Read and review :)_


	5. The spirit that I have seen

_**Warnings: The same as in the previous chapter.**_

**5. The spirit that I have seen may be the devil**

Loki crouched in a corner; shaking of fear and cold. He felt sick, violated in the depth of his mind. There was no thought left that would not have been scrutinized in the most painful way; and the noise in his head was deafening. He felt guilty for allowing this to happen; for being so weak.

"Still awake?" the voice had retreated to the opposite corner, next to the bed. In darkness, it sounded eerie and cruel. "You should be resting; regaining your strength for me… for us."

Loki's mind was turmoil of rage and shame. He had to struggle to keep his voice steady. "If I had my magic, you and this entire place would burn to ashes."

The voice laughed. "I love ashes… I've been on ashes all my eternity." There was a deep exhalation. "Now, I go to sleep. You exhaust me. Rest, we have more to talk you and I… tonight."

Chills ran through Loki's body. He could not stay there much longer. Tonight, said he? Was it morning already? Darkness was so thick in that room. Loki could be blind and never knew. He rubbed his sore wrists; the shackles tightened in every time he tried to use his magic. Frigga had taught him many tricks and he excelled as her pupil. She even talked about how to overcome the collar and the chains; however, she stopped before he was strong enough to try that spell by himself. Loki knew that Odin had something to do about that. He must have talked her out of it because an unbound Loki would be dangerous and unstoppable.

"Your father loved you and your mother did too."

Loki's heart beat faster. The monster could read his mind! "How dare you? You don't know who my father was, or my mother. You're just lying!"

"I have never told a lie."

"Stay away from my mind!" Loki yelled and sought refuge on his corner.

* * *

The day began early, with the guards hitting every door. Thor saw the guards forming groups of prisoners according to race, high and level of intelligence. He was on the first one, along with Morgen.

"It's breakfast time, and lunch and dinner. So, you'd better enjoy it," the dwarf said. "They cannot afford to have raids because of cultural differences. The most uncivilized come last."

Thor grinned. "Shall I feel flattered to be in the first group then?"

They came to a square arena surrounded by high stone walls. There was no view to the outside world, except for the sky. In the centre, they had put a big bowl of watery soup. Each prisoner took a mug and dipped into it. There were no benches or tables; so Thor and Morgen went to sit on the ground, against the wall.

Thor looked at the prisoners; they did not seem dangerous enough to be confined in this place. Morgen seemed to read his thoughts as he laughed. "You and I are not the only ones imprisoned for ulterior reasons. Do not believe everything they say about this place. Most of us are here because we know too much, or won't do what we were told," said the dwarf. His curly hair waved against the wind. "See those dwarves over there? Lodur asked them the treasure they had inherited from their father. When they refused, he took everything from them; land, belongings and their freedom."

Thor was confused; suddenly, the uncle he had known as a child became a stranger. This could not be Odin's younger brother. Lodur was nice and protective; someone to go hunting or fishing. He had changed to be ambitious and sinister. Just like…

"Loki!" Thor stood up as soon as he saw the guards pushing his brother into the yard.

He looked disoriented, shadowing his eyes and stumbling. Thor came to his aid, putting one hand on his arm. Loki jerked away and almost fell on his back.

"Loki, it's me, Thor," he grabbed him again. "Something's wrong with your eyes?"

"They put you in the dark chambers, didn't they, son?" Morgen came to hold Loki's hand. Curiously, he did not resist the touching. "It is the darkest cell, light never enters. Your eyes need time to get used to daylight again."

He and Thor took him to their corner and laid him on the ground. The dwarf ran to the water barrel and wet a corner of his scarf. Thor wiped Loki's face with it.

"You are too warm, brother. How is the wound?" He grabbed Loki's shirt to check on his side, but Loki slapped his hand.

"Do not touch me," he opened his eyes for a second and moaned. "I am all right, just let me be." He covered his face with the scarf and leaned his head against the wall. "You are unbelievable." Loki said without moving. "We haven't been in this place for more than one day and you have made friends already. You disgust me."

Thor smiled. "I tried to be polite."

"Polite? Isn't that a Midgardian word," Loki snorted. "You didn't know its meaning until you meet that mortal."

"I live and learn," Thor nodded. "Aren't you hungry? You should eat something."

"I do not need anything!" He exhaled to calm down his voice. "I just need to sleep."

"That cell on the tower, who else is in there?" Morgen asked.

Loki squinted. "There's nothing in that damn tower! It's only me and no one else!"

"Loki!" Thor scolded him.

"It's all right, that's what I thought," said Morgen, kindly.

"Shut up! Just shut up both of you! Let me alone," Loki covered his face again.

Thor stared at him for a long time; his concern was growing. Hundreds of questions formed in his mind but, knowing Loki, he would not get straight answers. Morgen nodded as a sign of understanding Loki's attitude. They were in silence for a while. The croak of a raven dragged Thor's attention.

He looked up at the wall. "Huginn?"

Loki peeked with one eye and shook his head. "Muninn," he said. "You never told them apart," he closed his eyes again.

The raven hovered over them and perched on Loki's shoulder. "Now what?!"

"He recognized you," Thor grinned.

"Muninn is a she," said Loki shaking the bird away.

Thor offered her his arm. "She's too far from the palace. It's as though she has been following you."

"Me? You are the one who feeds them," retorted Loki.

"They are messengers, aren't they?" asked Morgen.

"Father used to send them to get news from the **N**ine Realms. But they have been acting weird since he-" Thor felt Loki's bloody-shot eyes darting on him, "since he was –misplaced."

"Just say it. You think I killed him."

"I didn't say that."

Morgen looked at both of them, trying to decipher what they were talking about. Muninn croaked so loud that startled Thor and Loki. At the same time, a siren announced the end of the hour of light and all prisoners had to return inside the fortress.

Muninn grazed Loki's cheek with her wing before flying away. He got up as fast as he could, avoiding eye contact with Thor.

"What is going to happen now, Morgen?" Thor asked.

"We go back to our cells for the rest of the day," he shrugged.

Loki could not hide his apprehension. Just to think of going back to the tower made him physically sick. He tried to breathe deeply but that just increased the nausea. He turned to the wall and threw up.

Thor was close but did not move. He would not add more grieve on Loki's shoulders. As ailing as he seemed to be, Loki held his pride high; running to his aid would only humiliate him in front of the guards. He waited until his brother was steady enough to join him.

"Do you feel better now?"

Loki was pale and feverish; his pain ran deep in his body and his mind. He would want to beg Thor for help. He did not want to go back up there; to the darkness and the entity that lurked in it. Only his arrogance was stronger than his fear. He could not let Thor know what that monster had done to him. No one should ever know.

* * *

The turns on the spiral staircase seemed endless. Loki felt his legs weakened at every step; pain had invaded every muscle in his body. He needed rest, time to heal, peace of mind; all those things that he would not find in that place. Another turn and he was in front of his cell door. He closed his eyes, as though hoping that the thing inside had vanished.

"Scared, prince of Asgard?" One of the guards mocked his fragility. The other guard opened the door.

Loki stopped them with a glare before any of them attempted to shove him inside. He entered at his own pace; darkness welcomed him back.

* * *

Thor sat by the window, watching the raven circling the sky. His face was blank but Morgen could read that the river ran deep inside the Asgardian. After a while of silence, he decided to break the ice.

"You look troubled, son," he jumped off his bunk and sat near Thor.

"Seeing Loki this morning has left me with a heavy heart," he said staring at the sky. "Even Muninn shows her concern; she hasn't abandoned the yard."

"Your brother and you seem very close."

Thor snorted. "Loki would rip your tongue if he heard you saying that. He hates me with all his might. He hates my father and Asgard; and everybody from here to the end of the universe."

"I've heard stories about him. But I don't understand if he's all what they say, why are you so distressed?"

"Because I am not ready to give up on him." Thor walked to the door. Wood and iron did not make a prison for him; but escaping would only add more troubles to his present situation. "I still trust on finding a way to enter his heart and make him see how wrong he has been."

"There is one like him in every family."

Thor smiled. "That is true; only that in my family, it seems to be more than one."

"Do you mean your uncle Lodur?" Morgen shook his head. "This is a very complicated situation, son; he is not going to quit easily. It took him fifty years to forget about me and the ring. He is going to keep you and your brother right where he can reach you. The question is why?"

Thor thought about it for a moment. "Asgard, he wants Asgard." He sat on his cot and rested his elbows on his knees. "He needs to know that Allfather is not coming back; and the only one who knows for sure is Loki."

"Did he tell you?"

"He does not remember," Thor shrugged, "or so says he."

"Do you believe him?"

Thor brushed his hair and gave Morgen a sad smile. "I have to believe him; if I don't, everything we have left will be lost."

Morgen stared at him, as though looking for the right words to express his thoughts. He sat next to Thor. "Listen, boy, I said that I did not have interest on leaving this place. However, I might come up with a plan of escape that could work; if you are interested, I mean."

"Why would you do that for us?"

"Who better people to help than Odin's sons?" he shrugged. "Besides, fifty years in Hafnarfjall is more than enough for anyone."

"You are very generous, Morgen Mountainfury. I'd wish I could accept your offer; but for now, I need to understand what my uncle is going to do next. There is no place to go from here until he regains his wisdom."

* * *

Loki stood still in his corner until his legs screamed for a rest. He did not dare to walk in the dark, looking for the bed. He rather sat on the ground and wait for the next day. He might have dozed for a while until cold fingers touched his forehead.

"You are warm, so alive," the voice whispered in his ear.

Loki sprung up, leaning against the wall. "Stay away from me! I repel you, demon!"

The voice's laughter resounded in his ears. "You cannot repel me; I am not a demon."

Loki felt the energy, grabbing his arms and turning him, face to the wall. The cold fingers caressed the back of his neck, provoking spasms in his shoulder blades. "Stop, please," Loki panted. "Don't do it… no more." He leaned on the wall, unable to keep fighting.

"I am your friend; I will be with you for the rest of your days…"

Loki felt the cold penetrating his head, filling every sense with noise and confusion. He moaned and his breathing became more and more agitated. He felt pleasure on the agony his body was experiencing. His mind tried to resist, but the rest of him was at the entity's mercy. There was no more to do but to surrender. Loki abandoned his body, waiting for the invasion to end.

The time seemed to stop until he was free to drop down on his knees. Loki tried to even his breathe, inhaling and exhaling slowly. He felt that the entity had withdrawn again to the opposite side of the cell. Loki knew that this recess would be brief; the night was just beginning and the monster had been sleeping all day long.

He sought inside his mind that place where the magic began. The room full of light that Frigga spoke so much about. He felt warmth in his heart; just like when his energy focused and amazing things happened. He put his hands together, ignoring the tightness in his wrists. If he was careful, maybe the magic would not trigger their alarm. It could happen, Frigga said so. The more energy he sent to his hands, the stronger he felt.

His fingers were about to produce a spark when an invisible force grabbed him by the wrists and lift him up in the air. He was pushed against the wall and he almost passed out.

"Why are you trying to hurt yourself?" the voice roar in his ear.

"I am- trying to h-hurt you!" Loki screamed to the nothingness in front of him.

"Oh, my dear child," the force released him suddenly, and he hit the floor. "You can't hurt me because you and I are one now…"

"If I cannot take your life, I'll take mine!"

The invisible fingers rested on Loki's chest. "I can feel your heart; that keeps us alive. I can slow it down until you die."

Loki felt cold inside; his breathing got shallow and his chest hurt. He panicked when he realized that his heart was stopping. "No!" He grabbed the hand but there was nothing there.

"See? You do not want to die; you are too curious about everything to end it here."

Loki fell; face down on the floor, defeated and hopeless. This hell would never end, not by his hand. He hid his face in his arms and prepared for another night of torture.

* * *

Lodur received his seer in the library. He had been juggling for two days with the counselors and the diplomatic staff in the aftermath of the news about Odin's absence.

"Apparently, Loki had been doing an outstanding job impersonating my brother. No one had noticed the difference."

Snildmus tilted his head condescendingly. "Your nephew has great power."

"He's not my nephew!" Lodur raised his voice but calmed down almost immediately. "What is the news from Hafnarfjall? Are they still alive?"

"They are holding on rather well, my lord."

"That's not what I want to hear!" He slammed the table with an open hand. "What do you know from your demon?"

"Raegos is not a demon, sir he is a-"

"Did I ask for a lecture in mythological creatures? What does he have to say about Loki?"

Snildmus nodded. "He says that Loki resisted him at first, but now is getting more cooperative."

Lodur took a seat and leaned his elbows on the table. "Did he find out where Odin is?"

"I'm afraid that Loki does not know, sir." He saw Lodur about to explode again. "Raegos is very thorough in his work. He has examined Loki's mind avidly in the last few days; he has found nothing."

"Is that so?" Lodur got up. "Get ready; we're paying a visit to my nephews in Hafnarfjall."

* * *

_I hope the story is getting interesting. I see many favorites and alerts, and that's good. If you feel like it, drop me a line just to know what you really think about the plot and characters. Thank you again for reading_


	6. O! this is the poison of deep grief

**6. O! This is the poison of good grief**

The next day, Thor came to the yard, looking for his brother. He had not slept, thinking of the losses he had endured recently; and it seemed not to be over yet. Since they had arrived to prison, Loki seemed more and more distant. The fear of finding himself alone in the universe had kept Thor awake. He was not as strong as everyone thought; and he did not hate his brother as much as he should. He leaned on the wall, facing the front door, until the guards brought Loki out.

He looked worse than the day before; weakened and stumbling on his own feet. Thor wondered if his brother would endure prison at all. Loki kept his eyes closed while brushing his hair with his fingers. He squinted at Thor but dizziness won over his best intentions of walking towards him. Before Thor could touch him, Loki hit the ground.

"Loki!" Thor knelt and tried to raise him. His brother was too frail to stand up.

"Have Father and Hoenir left already?" he panted. "I am supposed to go with them to-"

"Shh, do not talk." Thor tried to keep calm, listening to Loki's feverish dream. He watched two guards coming forward to pick him up. "Where are you taking him?" He stood up defiantly.

"To the healer," one of the guards pushed him aside.

"I'm going with him." Thor felt a spear on his chest, blocking the way. He gathered all the kindness Jane had taught him and spoke gently. "Please, he's my brother. I need to go with him."

One guard shrugged and the other agreed. Thor came closer as both guards carriedLoki to the healing room.

Although that was the name they gave it, the room was smaller than the cells. It only had a divan and two chairs. The cabinet contained two or three flasks of something that Thor did not dare analyse. The healer, as in most cases, was a woman.

Loki was unconscious when she unbuttoned his shirt to expose the wound on his right side. Thor exhaled to see that it had not improved since three days ago, when Ulrika treated it for the last time. The healer put her hands over Loki's side and closed her eyes.

"I feel magic surrounding this wound."

"He has great power," Thor said, staring at his brother. Dark shadows under his eyes made his face look slender and sicker.

"It's not his magic that I feel." She lifted Loki's arm so Thor could see the burns on his wrists. "The shackles prevent him from using most of his magic. However, this energy comes from elsewhere."

"That's what I had been told. Bad magic?"

"It is keeping him alive," she said gathering a few things to clean and patch up the wound. "I have no power to heal him."

"Then, who has it?" Thor asked, wearily.

"I do not know," the healer shrugged.

Thor got closer to look at other marks on Loki's chest. He had overlooked them until now. "What are those?"

"Scratches," said the healer, examining more carefully. "They go all around his back, see?"

Thor got more and more concerned; Loki was not easy to mark. He was fast to heal; unless he was too stressed to focus. The healer applied a wet cloth on the warm skin and Loki sprung up with a scream.

Thor laid a hand on his chest. "It's all right, you will feel better soon."

Loki put his arm over his eyes. "What happened? Did I fall off my horse?"

Thor looked at him cautiously. "No, you fainted; in the yard."

"The yard? What was I doing in the yard?" He looked around. "What is this place?" he asked, drowsily.

The healer dressed the wound, wrapping his waist with white linen. "His fever is high, disorientation is common." She handled Loki a flask and helped him to drink.

Thor took Loki's hand in his. He lowered his voice and spoke slowly. "Loki, we are in the island of Hafnarfjall."

"No," Loki mumbled, staring at him with glassy eyes. "What?"

"Lodur, Odin's younger brother sent us here, remember?"

Loki snatched his hand back and stared at Thor while all his memories piled up in his head. He rubbed his face and nodded sorely. "Yes, I remember." He sat up straight and took a purposeful breath.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Thor tried to stop him, but Loki was on his feet already.

"I need fresh air," he stumbled on the chairs, but did not fall.

"Loki, the second group is out; Asgard's enemies mostly."

Loki grinned. "You have been sitting under the sun for too long. It's time to put those muscles to work, don't you think?"

Thor rolled his eyes and thanked the healer. "I'd better go after him. Do not be surprised if we come back later."

* * *

Thor had to run to keep up with Loki's quick pace. His brother was feverish and weakened; this rush of sudden energy was merely a prelude to a certain collapse.

"Loki, stop! This is madness; we can't go out just like that."

"We are entitled to one hour of sunlight," Loki ignored the guards at the door. "I need light!" He stepped outside and looked at the sky. The clouds were getting greyer and a thunderstorm was forming in the horizon. "It's such a beautiful day."

Thor breathed resignedly and followed him to the end of the yard. Loki turned to observe the tower. He squinted.

"I knew it," he frowned.

"You knew what?"

"There was a window in that tower. You still can see the frame." Loki walked around, with his eyes on the fortress. "Now it's covered with bricks."

"Yes," Thor shrugged, not too sure of how to deal with his brother's frenzy.

"They locked him up in the tower, can't you see?"

"Who, Loki? What is it?"

"The monster, he lives there," Loki kept his eyes on the tower. "He's-"

Thor grabbed him by the arms and shook him. "Loki! I do not understand what you're talking about. There are no monsters here!"

"Thor Odinson!"

The echoing voice matched the frame of the massive creature in front of them. White hair fell over his shoulders; while a big scar marked the right side of his face. The reddish skin contrasted with a pair of green eyes, set to either side of a prominent nose. His shirt was permanently open, since it was too small for his chest. It seemed that they had had a hard time finding something that fit his wide shoulders.

"A red ogre," said Loki with a grin. He knew Thor did not need the information; he had faced plenty of those in battle. "Isn't this Sulga, the Victorious? You fought against him in Kroppr. The one whose wife you-" he chuckled, "never mind."

Sulga growled. "I still have the scar you gave me, Asgardian."

Thor put his hands in front as a sign of peace. "I do not think we need to set our differences here. We're both prisoners."

"I swore I would kill you the next time I saw you!" The ogre stepped forward and Thor and Loki stepped backwards. "I'll rip you inside out, starting with your tongue!"

Loki laughed. "Oh, if I weren't in pain, I would enjoy this so much."

"Shut up, Loki!" Thor yelled.

Sulga lifted a fist, ready to slam it on Thor's head. The god of thunder dodged at the last second. Loki stepped aside, trying not to miss anything when three elves recognized him.

"Hey, isn't that Loki the trickster?" said one of them

"He disguised himself like one of us to crash my sister's wedding," said another one.

"The party when the wine turned into water?" a third elf asked.

The other prisoners laughed. "Your family was the joke of the day, Zelphar."

"It was he! He stole our wine and put water in its place!"

"It was just an innocent joke," said Loki as though it were understood.

"We had to sell two horses to pay for more wine!"

"It wasn't your best wine, Zelphar," Loki grinned.

"We had food for five days, but because of your prank, the party ended in two!"

"If you called that food," insisted Loki.

"You were not invited!" said Zelphar, pushing Loki to the ground. In the zeal of combat, Loki forgot the restrains in his wrists and attempted to throw thunderbolts from his fingers. Instead, there were sparks that hurt only his writs. He screamed in pain and rage.

Thor got distracted and Sulga struck him with all his might. The fortress stopped him in mid-air and Thor fell at the guards' feet. He got up and went back to the brawl.

The warden came out to see what the commotion was. His jaw dropped when he saw Thor trying to drag the ogre over his shoulder. Loki was on the ground, dodging punches from three elves at the same time.

"Enough!" said the warden. "Everybody to their cells, on the double!"

The guards pulled and shoved the prisoners inside. The warden pointed at Thor and Loki. "They come with me."

Thor helped Loki to take the first steps. Loki snatched back his arm when he felt strong enough to walk on his own. He looked disappointed; maybe because his magic was still restrained. Thor knew that he should stay away until his brother cooled off. They were placed in a waiting room with two benches. Loki took over the one by the window, where he could contemplate the rain pouring down. Thor sat in front of him, at the other side of the room. He stared at Loki for a while, dying to ask what was wrong.

Loki glanced at him, before turning back to the rain. "You broke your nose."

"I fell on the wrong side," said Thor, using his arm to wipe off the blood. "You burned your wrists."

Loki folded his arms over his chest. "Why do you think it's happening now?"

"Well, maybe this is our punishment for brawling in the yard," Thor grinned, "putting us together in the same place."

Loki snorted, leaning his head on the bars of the window. "It's getting dark."

"You say it like an omen. I thought you loved darkness." There was no response; Loki was lost in his own mind. Thor took a purposeful breath before asking, "Loki, why are you so mad?" He nodded when his brother darted him with a killer look. "Yes, I know we are in hell; but we have been worse. You do not need to provoke our enemies to rip us to pieces."

"What do you know?! What do you know about me?!" Loki got up, ready for a fight.

The warden entered, interrupting the argument. "Come with me," he said.

Thor and Loki exchanged glances; but obeyed in silence. The warden opened the big hall and locked them inside, with two guards. The place was half the size of the throne room in Asgard, with a minimal amount of furniture. Loki felt someone staring at them from the opposite corner.

Lodur laughed. "You are always so perceptive, Loki."

"Lodur, what do you want now?" Thor asked, making an effort to keep calm.

"I wanted to see you for the last time, my nephews." He made himself comfortable in the big chair. "I was wondering if there is anything you have to tell me since our last meeting. Loki, has your memory improved while you are up there?"

Loki narrowed his eyes, staring intently at him. "You know about it?" he mumbled. "You know about IT!" he yelled, charging against Lodur. One of the guards fired his spear against him, before he could reach him. Loki flew across the room.

Thor turned to Lodur. "Stop! Why are you doing this? You have Asgard, you sent us to this place, what else do you want from us?"

"Nothing," Lodur shrugged. "I needed to make sure my brother is not coming back. From what I've been told, we are safe." He signed the guards to open the door and the warden came in. "These are my orders; Thor, you will be sent in exile to The Soundless Hinterlands; you'll be transported tomorrow at noon." Before Thor replied to that, Lodur went on. "Loki, I sentence you to the gallows. The hangman will arrive tomorrow night; you will be executed at midnight." He got up and headed for the door. "Allow them some minutes together," he grinned, "say your goodbyes, boys."

Thor ran towards Loki, who was already sitting on his heels. He sat next to him, looking for something to say. "Are you all right?"

Loki recoiled slowly, avoiding his brother's touch. "There is nothing in The Soundless Hinterlands, I do not envy you," said he, staring at the floor.

"This cannot end here; I'll find the way to-"

"You don't have to solve all the problems, Thor," he lied down on his back, resting his head on his arms. "I'd rather die than stay in this place for much longer." He looked up at the ceiling.

* * *

Volstagg found his companions at the arena. His face foretold the news he was carrying. Fandral and Hogun stopped their one-to-one combat to talk with him.

"This can't be happening," said Fandral. "Where did you hear that?"

"The guards are talking. They brought the news directly from Hafnalfheim. Thor is about to be sent to The Soundless Hinterlands tomorrow at noon and Loki is up for execution tomorrow at midnight." Volstagg took a wooden spear and began to fight with a wicker dummy.

"But we have to do something," said Hogun. "We cannot allow that to happen." He was pensive for a moment. "I think we can help Thor, with Heimdal's cooperation, of course."

"That won't be a problem," Fandral shrugged. "How about Loki?"

"Loki? Let him save himself; it wouldn't be the first time." Volstagg hit the dummy on the head. "If you scratch the surface of this problem, you will find Loki's doing all the way."

"He saved us from exile," Hogun attacked Fandral with a struck of his sword.

Fandral dodged it skillfully and set a defensive position. "He was a nicer Odin, you cannot deny it."

"Are you trying to get me into saving that bastard's head?" Volstagg stopped for a moment.

"Thor would not forgive us if we left Loki behind." Fandral panted as he ducked Hogun's attack.

"Well, do you have any brilliant idea? The hangman comes this afternoon on his way to Hafnalfheim." Volstagg attack the dummy.

"I might," Fandral stopped to think. "You and Hogun can handle Thor's situation. I will take care of Loki. I may need Lady Sif for this task."

"Ha! That is your first obstacle, my friend. You only have a few hours to convince her before Loki loses his head." Volstagg hit the dummy on the neck and the head flew to the other side of the arena.

* * *

Thor paced around the room, pondering on their current situation. Exile in The Soundless Hinterlands was not that bad. He had survived in the wilderness before; but Loki's execution weighed on his shoulders like tons of bricks. He turned to his brother, looking for something meaningful to say. Loki was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. His breathing was irregular and he could not stay still.

"Are you in pain?"

Loki glanced at him with surprise. "Now you worry about me?"

"This might be shocking to you, but I do care." Thor knelt next to him. "Come on, let me see."

Loki gave up and leaned back. He allowed Thor to pull up his shirt and take a better look at his wound. He breathed deeply, holding back any moan or whimper. Thor did not touch it; at least the wound looked clean. "The healer said that magic is keeping you alive."

"It could be less conspicuous. I don't feel too alive, actually." Loki panted, and lied down on his back.

Thor sat on the windowsill, resting his elbows on his knees. "Those marks on your chest, how did they happen?"

"What?" Loki turned to see him. "What marks?"

"The ones on your chest."

Loki sat up and opened his shirt. "Weird, I did not see them before."

"There are more on your back." Thor felt his brother was lying to him. "Loki, did somebody lash you? I know you don't like to talk to me about –basically anything, but I need to know, what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me," Loki chuckled. "I do not understand why you say that."

"You talked about a monster in the tower. Is that your cellmate? He did this to you?"

"Stop asking questions!" Loki yelled. He got up and went to the opposite side of the room. "You don't understand, you will never understand."

"Loki, please," Thor stood up. "These might be our last hours together. It might not mean much to you, but with mother and father gone, you are the only family that matters to me. You said that Lodur knows; what does he know? Please, tell me. What happened in that tower?"

Loki seemed tired of disguising his fears. He sat on the chair that Lodur had occupied minutes ago; he scratched the velvet on its arms, as though letting his thoughts flow. "There is a –thing, monster or entity… I cannot see it, but I feel it. During the day, it lurks around… At night," he took a deep breath, "at night, he comes and touches me…, with his fingers as cold as ice… he penetrates my mind, stealing my thoughts. He rips me inside in ways you could never imagine. He leaves marks in my skin, but those are nothing compared with the ones he leaves in my mind. The noise is… unbearable, blinding, agonizing…" He tightened his jaw. "I cannot touch him, I cannot hurt him. He does with me what he pleases and I cannot stop him."

His voice trembled. He kept his eyes fixed in an invisible point across the room. He ripped the fabric of the arms of the chair with his fingernails; but his face remained as soft and impassive as always. Thor walked slowly towards him.

"Loki, I'm-"

"Do not say it!" Loki sprung up, pointing at him with his finger. "Do not dare to say you're sorry! What do you know about pain and suffering? You always had all the attention, all the friends, all the respect and admiration from everyone. Me? I'm the bastard son; the forgotten child of a frozen giant!" He lifted the chair and threw it against the window. The violent movement forced him to his knees, overcome by the pain in his side.

Thor came closer and laid a hand on Loki's shoulder. Unexpectedly, the trickster stretched his hand to clench Thor's arm and they remained like this for a moment. Thor did not move or make a sound. There was nothing he could say to lessen Loki's torment. At the end of their path together, everything seemed said and done. Soon, the guards were at the door; Loki stood up and walked as steadily as his condition allowed him.

"Loki," Thor waited for his brother to turn and look at him. "You mattered to me; you still do." Loki nodded, showing no emotion.

He returned to the tower. The staircase seemed longer and heavier than before. The night had fallen and the entity would be waiting for him. Loki smiled sadly; his last night in the world of the living and he would pass it in torture and pain.

* * *

"Is it possible? Can we do it?" Hogun asked Heimdall.

"There is a small opportunity, while Lodur is in Hafnalfheim," Heimdall looked pensive, "provided that he stays there for Loki's execution."

"But, if we count on Lodur staying for the execution, how are we going to rescue Loki?" Volstagg walked to the edge of Bifrost to contemplate the waters. "We're supposed to rescue him alive, aren't we?"

"That's Fandral's mission. He said he would take care of that," Hogun said.

"Whatever you do tomorrow, I will open the portal at one hour after midnight. Thor must cross, then. If he does not," Heimdall ended the sentence with a shrug.

"We will do our part and let's hope Fandral and Lady Sif do theirs too." Hogun folded his arms in front and looked up at the stars.

"They'd better do," Volstagg nodded.

* * *

Fandral paced nervously back and forward in the store. Laces and fancy fabrics did not make him uncomfortable; any other day, he would have spent hours choosing the perfect outfit for the next dance at the palace. However, time was against them today. He stopped in front of a curtain.

"Sif, we need to leave now."

"You asked me to wear a dress," she said behind the curtain. "This is the reason I never wear dresses."

"Sif," Fandral replied.

"All right, just do not laugh."

Fandral stared at her as though for the first time. He had seen Sif in dresses before. But her taste reflected her simplicity and lack of interest for social events. She preferred to wear comfortable attires with which to fight. Nonetheless, he needed her to show her best physical attributes tonight. So far, he had managed to get her into a new gown.

"How do I look?"

"Ravishing, my dear." Fandral would not make too much fuss about colors or fabrics; so far, so good. "How do you feel in it?"

"Weird," she said, looking at the mirror. "Fine, I guess. But it's too long and tight. I can barely hide a small dagger in my leg." She pulled up the cleavage. "I'm not sure I want to go on with this; just for Loki?"

"Look at it this way; Thor will be eternally grateful for your sacrifice." He pulled down her cleavage. "I'll be there all the way, all right?"

"You'd better be. I won't get into the dragon's mouth on my own." She poked Fandral's chest with on finger. "This is all for Thor, understand? If Loki ever knows about this I'll pull off your beard one hair at a time!"

Fandral smiled, rubbing his chin. "It will work, I'm sure about that," he said, keeping his fingers crossed.

* * *

_Feedback is the only way to know how do you like the story. I thank you for alerts and favorite, I'm glad people is reading so avidly._

_"Just me" I hope you find Thor's and Loki's interaction satisfying. Thor has to open a very heavy door to reach his brother, but he's getting there._


	7. So many journeys

**7. So Many Journeys**

When Vignir Anlafson entered any place, people knew someone was about to die. That was the fate of Asgard's hangman. However, only a few had seen his face. Everybody knew he was a tall man, slender and quiet. He did his job without hesitation; the faster the better. Vignir Anlafson was a fair man; he just did his job too well.

The Sweet Grape tavern was packed that night. People had gathered at the end of a hard-working day to comment on the latest events in Asgard. The royal family was always in the news, and this time, headlines were not enough to clarify what was happening exactly. Loki in jail was not a surprise, but Thor! That was unexpected; and how about Odin? No one saw that coming. But wait, wasn't Loki dead? There were three day of mourning, everybody had to dress in black; there were prayers in the temples from dawn to dusk.

"What happened to Thor?"

"He's in jail for treason."

"And where is Odin?"

"Loki assassinated his father. Now he's going to be executed."

"Asgard's hangman is in town?"

The last question made everyone look around cautiously. Anyone in the tavern could be him. Vignir hid his face on the jar of ale; this one was an important job. He grinned and patted a small bag at his feet; it was too bad that he could not brag about it in public.

Sif walked slowly, careful not to step on her dress. She had rather gone into battle with a wooden spear than do this. She kept Thor in her mind, as a reminder. Fandral ran to the tavern, to peep through the window. He was satisfied to see the man they were expecting and came back to Sif. "He's there, finishing his drink."

"How do you know it's him? No one ever saw his face," said Sif.

"I have my sources, all right? Trust me, it's him. Are you ready?"

As on cue, Vignir stepped out of the tavern. Sif nodded and Fandral closed his eyes, anticipating what was coming.

"You scoundrel! How dared you to treat me like that?" She slapped him on the face. "I do not want to see you again."

Fandral felt Vignir, coming from behind. "Excuse my intromission, is this man bothering you?"

"I think he's leaving," she said on the verge of tears.

Fandral disappeared discreetly and went to hide in the shadows.

Sif looked up at this handsome man, with blue eyes and features as soft as the statues in the Asgardian gardens. She would have never thought that with that face, this man could be a professional executioner. She took a deep breath and threw her line. "You saved my life."

"From that man? I don't think he could be dangerous. My name is Vignir Anlafson," said he, forgetting his policy of staying anonymous. Nonetheless, it was not every day that a young lady, dressed in red, with long black hair came to talk to him voluntarily. He sketched a smile and nodded. "You should not walk alone at this hour of the night. It might be dangerous."

"I was heading home when my –friend tried to kiss me." Sif wept. "We barely know each other." She composed her hair and smiled innocently. "I do not know if I can trust you, but I would feel safer with an escort."

"I understand." Vignir remembered he had to take a ship to Hafnarfjall. He still had a few minutes to spare and this was a lady in distress. There had to be better things to do than hanging up people for a living. "I will go with you."

"Oh, thank you, you're very kind sir…"

"Vignir, please," he smiled and offered her his arm.

They walked through a long and dark alley. Sif reckoned they were half way in and stopped. Fandral came from behind, grabbed Vignir's neck with one arm and pressed to cut the air intake. Although they were the same height and fairly the same size, Vignir succeeded in lifting Fandral over his shoulder and threw him on the ground. He punched Fandral on the chest, taking all the air from his lungs. With the advantage, Vignir lifted the warrior and crushed him against the wall. Fandral's reaction was slow but succeeded in blocking a fist that was coming straight at his neck.

At that precise moment, Sif hit Vignir from behind with both hands balled together in a fist. Fandral recovered and kicked him on the ribs. Vignir was too groggy to resist Fandral's and Sif's attack and lost consciousness after a moment. Fandral did not lose time to tie him up.

"Thank you, Sif, good timing," Fandral panted.

"I thought you had said I was the bait and you the hunter." She smiled mischievously. "Quick! Take his clothes and let's go. The ship takes off in ten minutes," said she, turning around to make sure that no one was looking.

"The mask! Where is it?" Fandral and Sif looked in the pockets. "It's useless, he wouldn't carry an iron mask in his pockets," Fandral said.

"He must keep it in his luggage." Sif turned around; looking for the bag he was carrying. "The bag! He had a bag with him, didn't he?"

Fandral lit the place with a small crystal of light. "Vignir must have thrown it somewhere when I attacked him."

"There is no time! The ship is about to take off." Sif stood up. She fixed Fandral's coat, covering his face with the hood. "Keep your face concealed. Talk to no one."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll find the bag and take it with me on another ship."

"But there are no more ships for tonight and tomorrow-"

Sif covered Fandral's mouth with her hand. "Stop worrying. I will be there at first hour."

"But how? They will suspect. Why would you have to come to Hafnarfjall?"

"I'll think of something," she said when an idea crossed her mind. "The flasks that Ulrika gave you, I can carry them for you." Sif grinned at Fandral's wariness. "It's all right. I have it all figured out."

Fandral wanted to believe her; not an easy task, considering the risk he was about to take. "I'll rent a ship for you before I leave and… I'll see you there, then."

* * *

Morgen stared at Thor with compassion. The god of thunder had been perched by the window since they brought him back to his cell. There was sadness clouding his face; and silence only fed the anguish.

"At least, you are getting out of here," said the dwarf in a festive tone. "That's better than trying to escape, actually."

Thor turned to see him. "You had no intentions of escaping, had you not?"

Morgen shrugged. "I've been here for too long. Things on the other side of the wall have changed; I'm not ready for changes."

"If you think too much about that, you will never be ready." Thor looked through the window again. A long pause put an end to the conversation. Thunder and lightning made Thor blink. "Loki is afraid of the dark."

Morgen sat up on his bunk. "The god of mischief? I didn't think he would be afraid of anything."

"He is afraid of many things, but he will never admit it. Darkness was not one of those, though; something in the tower is tormenting him." Thor went back to his bunk. "What is it? And how can it be killed?"

Morgen shook his head and lied down. "I haven't seen it for sure, but of all the prisoners that have been sent to the tower, no one has come back sane. They died soon after leaving the tower."

"Died? How?"

"Most got sick and died; the others just took their own lives." Suddenly, Morgen realized what he had just said. He jumped off his bunk and sat up next to Thor. "Listen, son. That is not going to happen to your brother. He is strong and-"

"Bound to die," said Thor in a whisper. "I always feared that I would be forced to end his life myself. Now that it is about to happen, it feels so… unfair."

Morgen did not talk for a while, giving Thor time to cope. "Do not lose hope, my friend. There is still time."

Thor shook his head. "I don't know about that. It's just that I would like him to know that he is not alone. Loki never understood that, but we cared about him… mother and I. He should not be alone."

"He won't be," Morgen smiled. "I promise you that."

* * *

Volstagg halted his horse as soon as they reached the limits of the hinterlands. Used to the wilderness and hunting grounds as he was, the silence in this place was overwhelming. "Nothing good grows in the soundless hinterlands," he shook his head.

"The land is poisonous. We should not stay for long," said Hogun. "They will bring Thor in six hours. Let's go back and settle our campsite away from the dry air."

"How will we know he's here?"

"We'll keep watch," Hogun nodded with determination.

They had just turned around their horses when a growl resounded behind them. The horses reared and Hogun and Volstagg had to use all their strength to keep control of the animals.

"What was that?" asked Volstagg.

"Something that should not be there," Hogun spurred his horse. "Let's go, put some distance between these lands and us."

"We must come back on time to get Thor out before too long."

Hogun nodded. No one had survived the soundless hinterlands for more than an hour. "We'll be back on time, do not despair."

* * *

_Take the stairs to the left, take the stairs to the left, take the stairs…_ Loki clenched his head in his hands and rocked back and forth. Those words screamed inside of him, ripping his ears; he had heard them before, many times after Frigga's death. But this time, not even his infinite arrogance was enough to placate the anguish inside. The entity from hell had gone too far.

"So," the voice across the room broke its haunting silence, "you killed your mother."

The words burned Loki from inside. He got up, stumbling on everything around, stretching his arms in the dark like a blind man. "Shut up! Shut up!" He dropped on his knees, reaching with his hands in the air. "Come on, beast! Come out, monster!"

"Oh, do not flatter me… you are the beast, you are the monster here." Laughter echoed in Loki's chest. "You are the monster who denied his mother in her last hour. You led her executioner right to her chambers."

"No! No! I did not!" Loki yelled, shuddering in anger and pain. He got up and grabbed a chair, the first thing within his reach, and smashed it against the corner. Loki ran in circles hitting the walls with his fists and open hands. He screamed to the darkness, watching shadows with the corner of his eyes. "Come out! Let me see you!" He panted and fell on his knees; he slammed the floor with his fist until his knuckles bled. "It wasn't like that," he mumbled, "it wasn't like that…"

His head felt heavy; the noise inside increased. He felt pressure in his temples and something pulling him up. He had to stand up, but suddenly, his feet left the floor, as the invisible force lifted him in the air. He tried to grab the hands that clenched his temples but there was nothing there. Then, the voice whispered in his ear.

"It… was… like… that…"

Then, the cold fingers entered his brain again. This time there was violence and insolence; the slow motion that the entity used to apply was gone; Loki felt the irreverent invasion of limitless power, ripping his mind to shreds. No thought, intimate or otherwise was left untouched. His arrogance was extinguished under a pile of bricks of shame.

All of a sudden, the pressure in his temples disappeared and Loki fell heavily to the ground. He rose to his knees; but that was as far as he could get. With nothing left in his mind but pain, shame and rage, Loki hid his face in his hands and cried.

* * *

_Reviews!_

_Thank you as always, keep reading. _


	8. A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,

**8. A heart unfortified, a mind impatient**

Loki crawled to the closest wall, leaned back and took a deep breath. Something felt broken inside and pain ran all over, crowned with a monumental headache. He did not dare to open his eyes. Morning had come some time ago and the entity had retreated to its corner. He rubbed his face, too exhausted to do anything else.

A sudden change in the air alerted him to a visitor. He could feel people before they move. It was an ability acquired since childhood; something he took pride in. The cell door opened quietly, letting some light in. Loki had to look away, for the sudden clarity hurt his eyes.

"Who's there?" He asked.

"Morgen Mountainfury," whispered the visitor.

"Who?" Loki frowned, pushing his memory back to work. "Oh, yes, Thor's best friend." He looked up at the darkness. "How did you get here?"

Loki could not see him but he was sure that Morgen was smiling. "I'm a magician." He lit a spark on his fingers and put it on the table; it was enough to illuminate the entire room. "I used to perform acts of escapism in Lord Lodur's house."

"Indeed? And yet, you're still here. Not so good an escapist I gather."

"This is Hafnarfjall; so far you and your brother are trying the only two ways of escaping this place." Morguen felt Loki shudder at that thought. He put his hand on the trickster's knee and lowered his voice. "How do you feel, son?"

Loki tried to recoil, but somehow, Morguen's touch was comforting. Even so, he could not simply open his heart to the dwarf. "Why would you care to know? And do not call me _son_, you are not my father." His voice was weakened.

"If I have bothered you, I apologize." Morgen grunted, preparing to leave. He went to the table to collect the spark. "I'm just a fool, do not mind me. I will be out of your sight."

Loki tightened his jaw, doing his best to look tough and cold. However, he felt the agony of long dark hours without Morgen's spark. His heartbeat quickened as he struggled to keep his self-control.

"Wait!" he said in a whisper. "You don't need to leave… I- might use your company… if you want to stay," he ended his sentence with a shrug.

Morgen smiled. "Certainly, my liege; I can spare some hours for you." He sat on the floor to contemplate the god of chaos in his misery. After a while of watching Loki shifting in his place and whimpering in dreams, Morgen cleared his throat. Loki jumped and straightened up.

"What was that?" he panted, looking at the shadows in front of him.

"Nothing, my lord; the boards on the floor creaked," Morgen shrugged. "You are restless, and ill. Why don't you come to the cot and-"

"Relax? I'll be dead by the end of the day, you twit!" He lowered his voice. "The last thing I want to do is to sleep; much less in that… bed."

Morgen frowned. "What is wrong with it?" He sat on the cot and bounced a little. "It is actually softer than my bunk. Are you sure you don't want to sleep a little?" He tilted his head and smiled. "Come, I'll keep Raegos away."

Loki's eyes widened with surprise. "You know it? It has a name!" he crawled to the light. "What is it," he whispered, looking around like a mad man, "a demon?"

Morgen smiled tenderly. "Come, son, get in bed now."

"No! Please, tell me. What is it?!" Loki's eyes were teary and out of focus.

"It's not a demon," Morgan said. "He was an Asgardian, a thousand years ago."

"Is he a ghost then?" he shook his head. "It can't be… a ghost cannot do the things he has… done to me." Loki sat on his heels, with one arm on the bed to rest his head.

"He won't touch you while I am here." He pet Loki's head, but the god of chaos did not even move. His eyes were closed, and his body relaxed. "Your forehead is too warm."

Loki grunted. "I won't die of a fever." He took a deep breath. "Were you a court jester, Morgen Mountainfury?"

"The best around the realm."

"Tell me stories…"

"Stories, my liege? What's your pleasure?"

"Anything… mountain fairies… snow ogres… your family…" Loki sighed. "Tell me about your family… are you married?"

Morgen nodded. "Yes, to the most beautiful lady you will ever see. We've been together since the beginning of time, and I thought we would be together till the end of everything."

"What became of her?"

"Who knows? I'm here," Morgen said. "I hope she's home, waiting for me."

"Do you have children?"

"Many," he smiled. "But at home, I have only two sons."

"Brothers," Loki chuckled with a sarcastic tone.

"They are good children; a little wild and restless, but they're both destined to do noble things."

"You predict the future too?"

"No," Morgen straightened up, "but I know my sons."

* * *

Fandral passed the boardwalk as inconspicuously as he could. He covered his face with the hood, but Vignir's black clothes attracted the attention of those guards that had seen him before. Luckily for him, no one would dare to address him in any way.

Fandral was gaining confidence in his demeanour until he saw a familiar face approaching. It was Thor, in chains and escorted by three bulky guards. The god of thunder frowned as he glanced at him. Fandral did not even blink; praying to the gods he wouldn't be recognized. The encounter was brief; _no harm done and everything goes on schedule_, thought Fandral.

Now, he only needed to get away from people and wait for the execution. Hopefully, Sif would bring Vignir's mask before he had to speak with anyone, especially Lodur. Full of confidence after passing the last point of inspection, Fandral straightened up. A gust of wind blew his hood back, revealing his face to a couple of guards in front of him.

* * *

In Asgard, Sif waited at the dock, making a mental review of every detail she had had to complete. Vignir's mask was in the bag, Ulrika's potions were hidden in her cleavage, and she was holding Loki's clothes. Sif stared at the men guarding a black coffin; they nodded and she nodded back. She surprised herself caressing the green and golden coat.

There had been a time where they were the only army Asgard needed. Thor, Loki, The Three and Sif were like one; running adventures was their pastime. Loki and his magic tricks had saved their lives on numerous occasions. What went wrong? They used to count Loki as one of them; as a friend.

"What went wrong, Loki?" Sif whispered, staring at the coat. If Fandral's plan did not work, all hope of getting Loki back would be lost; and the way things were going, only Thor would mourn for his brother.

A slight drizzle spattered her face as she looked up at the ship coming for her. An old man jumped out and greeted her.

"Lady Sif," he bowed. "It's not a carriage, but it will take you as far as Hafnarfjall."

"As long as it doesn't collapse in the middle of the water, it'll do." She accepted the man's hand. "How fast is this ship?"

"Faster than the prison carriers, at least. We'll get there before midday."

"All right." She signed for the men to get the coffin on the ship. "We will have to wait after the execution, do you understand?" she asked the ship's captain.

"Perfectly, my lady; lord Fandral paid in advance."

Sif nodded and went to sit next to the coffin. If everything went according to plan, she and Fandral would come back to Asgard, right after midnight; with Loki's body.

* * *

Fandral put his hand on his sword, ready to fight. One of the guards stepped into the light and nodded.

"Fandral, I knew you would attempt something stupid."

Fandral stared at both guards, and burst into laughter. "Heas and Thaenest! By all the Aesir, what are you doing here?"

"We're personal guards of our lord Lodur's now," Thaenest shrugged. "He doesn't trust the guards of Hafnarfjall."

"Are you attempting to help Thor? You're late, his ship is about to take off as we speak," said Heas.

Fandral covered his head again. "I'm here for Loki, believe it or not."

"You should've come earlier; this place has taken away Loki's sanity," said Thaenest in a saddened tone. "He has been screaming and yelling at no one for hours."

"Good thing Thor is gone now. He started to talk to himself too," Heas added. "This place makes prisoners crazy."

"Not just prisoners. Heas saw Odin walking in the backyard last night."

"I didn't say it was Odin; I said he looked like him." Heas turned to Fandral. "There are ghosts in this place; real ghosts."

Fandral nodded without paying much attention. "That's nice, but I have to leave now. No one must know I am here."

"Dressed like this? What's the plan?" Thaenest asked.

"I'd rather keep it to myself, at least for a while." Fandral turned to see them before resuming his way. "Stay put, I might need you later. Sif is coming any minute now; send her to my-the executioner's quarters."

Heas touched his chest with the spear and nodded. "For Asgard."

"For Asgard," whispered Fandral.

* * *

Thor frowned as he passed the man in black at the boardwalk. He did not know him, but there was something in his eyes that was too familiar. Later on, he overheard the guards commenting on Vagnir, the hangman's arrival. He had come earlier; maybe because he liked to prepare himself for the event.

Thor's heart sank. He would have liked to stay at his brother's side. Loki would be mad and probably yell at him, but deep inside, he would be grateful for the company. Leaving like this killed every possibility of helping his brother. Without his magic, Loki was completely helpless; and he would be dead in the morning.

The ship took off slowly, as though asking the wind for permission to leave. Thor could not take his eyes off the island. He would come back with Mjiolnir; he would come back to smash the place to pieces. His uncle would pay for everything he had done and, finally, Thor would accept his destiny as the true king of Asgard.

* * *

_things are going fast now. Thank you for your constant interest; that's the fuel to update fast. Read and review, please. See you in chapter 9_


	9. Sea of troubles

**9. Sea of troubles**

Sif made it through the main gate guards, the second gate guards and the third gate guards. She met the warden in the fortress and received the same instructions. Do not touch the prisoner, keep your distance; do not talk more than necessary; you have ten minutes. Sif listened and nodded to everything.

The light dimmed at each turn of the spiral staircase. The guard lit a lamp and handed it to Lady Sif. "Do not touch the prisoner, keep your distance, do not-"

"Yes, I know the rest."

He smirked, unlocking the door. "You have-"

"Ten minutes," Sif sighed, surprised to see how dark the cell was. She put the torch in front of her and walked straight forward until she found the table to place the lamp. She turned to find Loki on the floor; leaning against the bed, his head resting over his folded arm.

Sif breathed purposely and emptied her arms on the table. "We don't have much time," she said, turning to Loki. She shook his shoulder. "Loki, wake up."

The trickster grabbed her wrist and twisted to force her to her knees. Sif did not put up any resistance; this was an unconscious reflex, nothing personal. She just pushed him and claimed her arm.

"Wake up, Loki. We don't have time for this," she said, getting up.

Loki was still confused when he got off the floor. He turned around, looking at the shadows. "Morgen? Where's Morgen?"

"Who?"

"The dwarf, he was here a moment ago…"

"There was no one here when I came in, Loki."

Loki stared at her, acknowledging her presence for the first time. "Sif? What in the name of hell are you doing here?" He grunted, leaning on the table for balance. "I'm supposed to be in seclusion. Where are the guards?!"

"Keep quiet," said she getting closer. "We don't have much time." She pointed at the clothes on the table and produced a small flask from her cleavage. "Here-"

"What are these clothes for?" He said, without paying attention to the flask.

"I'll tell you in a moment, but first-"

"They are for my execution, aren't they?" He shuddered.

"Loki, please; listen to me," she put her hand on his.

"No!" He yanked away his hand and fell backwards. He crawled to his corner, searching in the darkness. "Where is he? What did you do to him?!"

"Who?" Even when she had prepared herself for a struggle with Loki, she had never anticipated this madness. She knelt in front of him and grabbed him by his arms. "Loki! Stop it right now! We need to talk."

"Sif!" he panted. "He took him! He took Morgen!"

"There is no one else here; only you and me," she shook him a little. "Loki! Please, listen to me. We need to prepare you for the execution."

"What?!" Loki seemed to come back from a distant world. "Sif, what are you doing here?" He rubbed his face and breathed deeply. "I asked that already, didn't I?

She exhaled and sat on the floor, pinching the bridge of her nose. She would definitely rather engage ten frozen giants in Jotunheim's frozen hills than deal with Loki on the verge of madness. "Loki, keep quiet. This is the plan."

* * *

Thor was too immersed in his thoughts to care about where they were taking him. The trip did not last long; it was a little turbulent as they went through a cloudbank en route to an island nearby. They landed and walked for almost half an hour. The guards stopped abruptly; in front of them there was a big circle carved in the ground.

"Step in!" one ordered Thor.

"Aren't you going to unbind me?" He lifted his chained hands.

"What for? You'll be as good as dead, once you get to the other side."

Thor was not scared. He had heard stories about the soundless hinterlands. Odin was good at making up tall tales about his incursions in the most desolate and unfriendly place this side of the universe. Thor did not believe much in tales, he believed in what he could see and touch. If he was right, this exile would not be as bad as everyone else thought. However, if he was wrong, everything would be doomed.

Thor walked towards the circle and stopped in the center. Then, he stood still and prepared himself to be transported. Bright lights blinded him for a moment; everything went white, then black.

A couple of seconds passed before he opened his eyes to his new environment. He had seen deserts before; the one in New Mexico was quite vast and impressive. But these one surpassed it by far. There were miles and miles of red dust,without mountains to break the monotony of the landscape. No trees, no clouds, no shade; it seemed like a red sea of sand without water.

He stepped out of the circle and walked without direction. He might have taken twenty steps when a tremor dragged his attention. His father's tales piled up in his mind. He could almost hear Odin's voice in his head: _If the earth moves, stay still; they cannot hear you, they cannot see you; but they can feel you. Do not move until the tremor goes away._

Thor stood still, just like when they were children and they played out their father's stories. Only this time, he did not have Loki pushing him and saying "It is going to catch you! You are dead!" Thor rolled his eyes; that Loki never played by the rules, never followed instructions… He lost his balance and almost tripped. He took a deep breath; concentration was the key. He could not let his thoughts take him away. He heard a cawing on the distance; one of the ravens had followed him.

Thor kept his eyes on the bird while gathering his strength to spend the night quite still.

* * *

"Do you understand?" Sif watched him nod but that did not satisfy her. "Loki, do you understand?"

"Yes!" said he through his teeth.

"Do we need to go through it one more time?"

Loki banged the back of his head against the wall. "We've been through this a hundred times, Sif. And for the hundredth time I tell you; it is not going to work"

Sif went to the table and took the clothes. "We do not need your approval. Do as I told you and we will do the rest."

"What is in this for you, Sif? Why would you or any of the Three want to help me?" Loki used the wall to pull himself up. "It is for Thor, is it not? You think he will be eternally grateful, don't you?"

Sif stepped forward and shoved him on the bed. "You, little ingrate! We're putting our lives at risk for Asgard, to put Thor on the throne, as it is his right of birth!" She took the clothes and tossed them on Loki's face. "We agree on one thing, you and I; we both know it is useless to spend so much energy on saving your hopeless life. Yet, we cannot allow Lodur to get away with this, can we? Now, put on those clothes and let's get done with this!"

Loki sat up, pulling the clothes off his face. He took the pants and stared at Sif. "Turn around," he demanded after a minute.

"What?" Sif could barely contain her anger. "I do not-"

"Turn around, woman!"

Sif tightened her jaw and turned her back on Loki. She heard him moan and struggle, until he gave in.

"All right," Loki said in a defeated tone. "I need… help with my right leg."

Sif grinned at the way he pronounced the word. In the years they had known each other, Loki never asked for help. She took the pants and knelt down. "One leg at a time," she said with a smile, pulling them up to his knees. "You can do the rest."

Loki tried to get up but the wound on his side hurt. Sif offered him her arm and held his balance while he pulled his pants up. "Sit down," she said and took Loki's shirt off. The wound was tender but it looked clean. Sif took care not to touch it while pulling down the clean shirt. She could not help but notice that Loki had lost weight.

"Do you like what you see?" he said.

She shook her head. "You are too thin." She turned, looking for the long vest.

Loki grinned mischievously. "From this angle, I can see that you are not at all."

Sif straightened up quickly, gathering inner peace. Dealing with Loki was hard and painful. "Let's finish with this; I need to get out of here." She took the boots. "Can you manage with these?"

"I cannot bend," he said touching his right side. Loki grinned as Sif knelt in front of him.

After the boots, Sif wet her handkerchief in a basin of water on the table. She took Loki by surprise, cleaning his forehead and nose.

"In the name of the Aesir, what do you think you are doing?" He grabbed her hand.

"Making you look like a prince, you fool!" She snatched back her arm and went on cleaning Loki's cheeks and chin. "If you're going to die today, you will die like the son of-"

"Do not you dare to say _Odin,_" Loki clenched his teeth.

"I was going to say _Frigga_," Sif smiled. "She would want you to look well."

Loki tightened his jaw and lowered his eyes. Sif took advantage of the gloomy moment to brush his hair with her fingers. She fastened the cape over Loki's shoulders; and finally, she put the flask in his hand.

"This is the most important part of the plan. Do not forget this flask."

Loki shrugged. "I won't," he said, unconvinced.

Sif crouched down, laying one hand on Loki's knee. His skin glowed in the light of the lamp and his eyelashes looked longer, his eyes framed by dark circles. Sif had been mad at Loki for so long that she had forgotten what good friends they had been once. "It's almost over; we'll get you out of here. All you have to do is to drink this at the precise moment; not a second before, not a second later. Do you understand?" She grabbed Loki's arm to make him look at her. "Loki, do you understand?"

The trickster raised his eyebrows and exhaled. "Yes, Sif, I understand." He glared at the darkness and shuddered. "Better leave now. You're not safe here."

She got up without a word. She knocked on the door and the guard opened it for her. Sif did not turn to look at Loki. She had few hopes that he would do what she had told him. At least, in his royal clothes, he looked more like himself. Half of the task was accomplished.

* * *

Fandral sneaked out of the fortress with Heas' help. Sif was waiting for him in the forest behind the prison. The two warriors looked at each other as though looking for validation to their plan. If something went wrong, they would lose their heads too. She opened the bag she was carrying and handed Fandral the mask.

Fandral winced in disgust. The thing was dull and stained, hiding the artistry someone had put on it many years ago. "At least, it suits the outfit." He tried it and took it off immediately. "It stinks!"

"Are you going to be difficult too?"

"Loki?"

Sif rolled her eyes. "It was a battle from start to finish. But he is dressed and ready, I hope."

"You hope? Did you tell him about-?"

"Yes, I did and I think he understood," she shrugged.

"You think? Sif, the entire operation depends on Loki doing his part."

"I know. He was acting strangely; but then again, he might have been mocking me."

"Mocking? How could he fool around in a moment like this?"

She sighed deeply. "The way he was acting, I only hope he was just playing. I don't think we can handle a mad Loki."

"Was it that bad?"

"Maybe… I don't know. It could be this place." Sif rubbed her neck. "I just wish to finish this and get out of here as soon as possible."

Fandral remembered what Thaenest and Heas had told him. He chose not to share that talk with Sif until they were far away from Hafnarfjall.

"As you wish, Lady Sif," Fandral said, looking at the sky. "It's almost time; let the play begin." He put on the mask and bowed.

* * *

_Thank you always for your interest. Please keep reading and reviewing :)_


	10. Give me superfluous death

_**Warning: "death" of a main character. ;)**_

* * *

**10. Give me superfluous death**

The hinterlands were as quiet as a corpse in the sun. The heat would not lessen until the light went dim. Thor reckoned that that would occur within the next five hours. Until then, he would have to endure it, without moving a muscle. The raven crossed over Thor's head several times and then, it disappeared.

Thor counted mentally till one thousand before jumping. It was not a long hop, but it put him near the line where the sand met the mainland. He landed on his feet and stood still again. His breathing was heavy, and his heart was pounding; that could be enough for the underground creature to detect his presence. This time, he had to count till two thousand without moving.

Volstagg was still lying down in his tent when a cawing dragged his attention outside. He and Hogun had been alternating watches; although they were a few miles from the soundless hinterlands, there were no guarantees for the underground creatures to remain in the sea of sand.

Volstagg yawned, as he went straight to the campfire, looking for breakfast. He smelled the boiling pot and wrinkled his nose. "You call that coffee?"

"We already ran out of it, that's tea," Hogun laughed. Since Thor had discovered coffee, that had become the warriors' official drink. He always came back from Midgard with a good provision of the brown drink. Only this time, his return had been too abrupt to think of gathering presents for his friends. "You drink too much coffee, anyway."

"And your tea tastes like boiling water." Volstagg came closer to look at the horizon. "Any news?"

"The raven," Hogun pointed at the sky, "It has been hovering around the same point over there."

Volstagg squinted. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"One, thousand, nine, hundred…" Thor counted under his breath. "Ninety-nin-" He stopped. A monticule of red sand began to form around him. He thought fast and jumped to his left, landing farther from the border line. The underground creature was preventing him from getting out the hinterlands. Thor stayed with one knee on the ground and began to count again. "One, two…"

* * *

Loki had returned to his corner, gathering strength after Sif's visit. Revitalized by the idea of the escape plan, Loki had decided to challenge the power of the shackles. They tightened up around his wrists at the sole intention of activating any hint of magic. Still, after days of battling a wound that would not heal, pain had ceased to be an issue.

He extended his hand, focusing on the centre of his palm. A small blue light began to grow; and for a while, it illuminated some part of the cell. Loki saw the ball of light fade away very slowly. He put mind and magic into keeping it alive, but it was only a feeble delay of the inevitable. His magic was not enough to saving him from the darkness. He heard the entity moving in the shadows, laughing and waiting.

Loki saw the flask on the table and his heart beat faster. What if he took it before the hour? He would die, so what? Who would care?

"Raegos?"

"Yes?"

"Can you see the future?"

"I can see the future."

"Am I dying?"

The silence fell heavy on Loki's shoulders; the laughter that followed squeezed his heart painfully. "Maybe… maybe not."

"You talk like a god," Loki snorted. "I'm leaving tonight, did you know?"

"I know."

"I might die."

"Possibly."

"I despise you," said Loki.

"Let me have you one last time," the voice got closer, "before you die, that is."

There was no more strength to resist. Loki lowered his hand and the last vestige of light was extinguished. He took a deep breath and smiled wearily. "Be gentle, I just got dressed for my execution."

* * *

Thor could barely see in the dark. Nothing moved; his muscles ached and he did not have a real plan. Jumping was not enough anymore. The creature seemed to guess his movements and it was pushing him farther from the border. What was more, he was tired and sleepy. If he lost his post, the earth would swallow him. For once, he would have loved for his father's stories to be no more than that.

He switched slowly from one foot to the other, but the creature detected his presence. A tentacle surfaced right in front of him. It whipped violently, making Thor lose his balance. He fell flat on the cracked soil. Tremors intensified around him; Thor ran fast and stopped abruptly, fooling the creature. He panted; the game was not fun anymore. He needed to get out of the soundless hinterlands right away.

* * *

Loki stood up seconds before someone knocked on his door. His head pounded with noise and his body ached in many parts. He kept his eyes on the floor, not wanting to see his torturer's shadow anymore. He prayed the gods it would remain silent while he left. He composed himself and walked to the door.

"You will crave for me," said the entity as a parting shot.

"I doubt it," Loki stared straight at the darkness, without any emotion in his voice, "but I will come back to kill you."

"I'll sleep till your return. You'll dream about me and I'll dream about you." The voice laughed. "Do not forget the _poison_."

Loki stopped and took a deep breath. "_Potion_, it is potion, not poison."

"Sure," he whispered, "as you wish to believe."

Loki nodded; the name was not important if the purpose was the same. He drank of the flask just before the guard opened the door. They put him in chains and escorted him down the spiral staircase.

The night had fallen but the torches made Loki blink and he had to shade his eyes with his hands. He straightened up and walked as steadly as the chains round his ankles allowed him. He could not see the faces, but felt Lodur from a distance. He was grateful for Sif washing his face and hands; he might not have lived as a prince lately, but today, he would die like one.

Loki heard Muninn's familiar cawing and smiled. Even in his darkest hour, the raven had not abandoned him. His spirit filled with an energy that he had forgotten was inside of him.

* * *

Thor ran and stopped several times; his intentions were to confuse the creature and chase off sleep at the same time. His strength was fading away when he saw a dim light on the borderline. He squinted and waved, hoping they could see him even in the dark.

Hogun looked attentively for anything moving in the hinterlands. The monticules had disappeared already; there was no trace of the underground turmoil. Volstagg came closer with the torch. "Do you see him?"

"I don't know," Hogun frowned. "The raven is hovering around that sector. Something moved that way." He looked again. "No, wait! Over there!"

"Hey!" Volstagg moved the torch side to side. "Thor!"

Another tentacle came out of the ground and Thor had to jump before it grabbed him. He rolled over and ran. Hogun could see the monticules forming in circles around their friend, taking him farther from them.

"We must bring him closer!" he said.

Volstagg assessed the situation in seconds. He took out a rope from his saddlebag. He tied one end to the reins of his horse. Then, he came to the borderline and threw the other end with all his strength. "Thor! Catch this!"

Thor could barely see the men tossing the rope. He saw it fall several feet away from him. A tentacle caught it first and began to pull.

"The horse!" yelled Volstagg throwing himself on the rope. This could not end well, thought Thor, glancing at Hogun. The warrior from Vanaheim had run to retrieve an axe from his saddlebag. Without hesitation, he tossed it at Thor.

The axe flew up several feet in the air, forcing Thor to jump high. He caught it and landed near the rope. He grabbed it and cut right before Volstagg and his horse were dragged to the hinterlands. Still clenching the end of the rope he had just cut, Thor felt the earth moving under his feet. He stood up without letting go of the rope.

The creature began to pull him down, but Thor had his feet well placed on the ground. Suddenly, he felt the creature speed up and he began to slide on the sand. His first instinct was to cut the rope and free himself, but then, he would be stranded in the middle of the valley. Instead, he put his heels firmly on the ground, allowing the creature to drag him around.

Volstagg and Hogun could not do anything but watch their friend, sliding back and forth on the sand. After a while, they heard him yell.

"Make noise! Tap! The! Ground!"

They obeyed immediately. Volstagg was more successful, punching the sand with his mighty fist. The noise worked; it was attracting the creature towards them. After a moment, they saw Thor getting closer. He was still a few feet away when he let go of the rope and landed on his friends. The three of them rolled over and laughed.

"That was really something different," said Hogun.

"It could be a new sport for the next Games," Volstagg nodded, sitting up.

Thor was still on his back, catching his breath. "It is a sport in Midgard, I remember. They call it _water skiing_."

"Water skiing? Midgard's giant worms dwell underwater?" Volstagg shuddered. He got up and offered Thor his hand to pull him up.

"Well, we're still on schedule, as Fandral would put it," Hogun said, helping Thor to dust the red sand off his clothes. "Come, we have water and clean clothes for you."

"Clean clothes? Sif's idea, I gather." Thor smiled.

"I have to say that having a woman in our group is quite useful sometimes," Volstagg confessed.

"Do not let her hear you," Hogun chuckled.

"Yeah, I would miss that beard of yours," said Thor. "So, did you follow me here? How did you know about my exile? Do you have any news about Loki?"

Hogun glanced at Volstagg and then, he patted Thor on the shoulder. "Come, my friend. We well brief you on the rest of this mad scheme Fandral has gotten us into."

* * *

The way to the gallows was rather short. The guards seemed to have no objection to Loki to setting the pace. Outside, the prisoners had gathered in rows to witness the execution. It was past midnight and everybody was in a bad mood. The noise around was as deafening as the noise in Loki's head. The cacophony helped him to ignore the headache Raegos' last assault had caused him. Loki stopped at the end of the stairs, contemplating the masked man, all dressed in black, who was waiting for him on the platform.

Loki felt dizzy all of a sudden. Chest pains slowed him down as he climbed and he almost fell. He made it to the top, panting and visibly pale. The guards turned him to the front where he could see a balcony on the opposite wall; Lodur was sitting in a lonely chair. Loki saw him grin, satisfied at his misfortune. If there were time, he would take down Odin's brother; he would bring him to his knees and rip out his tongue. Dizziness overwhelmed him; he breathed in but the air did not seem to fill his lungs. Ulrika's potion was taking effect at that very moment.

"Calm down," a familiar voice whispered behind him.

Loki recognized Fandral. "I'm fainting," he said.

"Don't you dare," Fandral came closer.

"My sight is blurring."

"Resist, just a few more minutes." He grabbed Loki's arm.

Loki nodded imperceptibly. He could fight the effects for a couple of minutes more. The noise stopped when the warden told the prisoners to shut up. Then, Lodur took the stand.

"This is not happening," Fandral mumbled. "Is he actually giving a speech?"

A guard shushed him. Loki just rolled his eyes, _Do I have to do everything myself?_ He thought, stretching his fingers to gather energy. He sent a flash of light against Lodur; although it did not do any damage, it was enough to crush the chair. The impact took Lodur by surprised and he landed on the floor. Fandral had his eyes on Loki and was right behind him when the trickster lost his color and almost fainted.

"What are you trying to do?" Fandral whispered.

The laughter was general and the guards and warden could not stop the applause that followed. Lodur got up before his seer and his servants were there to assist him. His glare could have set a man on fire. That made the day for Loki, who smiled innocently.

"Dreadfully sorry, uncle; I didn't know I still had that in me."

More laughter followed. Lodur did not say a word; he signed for the execution to proceed. Fandral sighed with relief and turned to Loki, who stumbled to one side. Fandral held him still, preparing him for the hanging.

"Stop shaking," whispered Loki, while Fandral covered his head with a black bag.

"You are shaking too," he said, tightening the knot around Loki's neck.

"I'm dying, what is your excuse?" Loki panted. "Unless you want to hang a corpse, I suggest you to get done with this, now!"

Quickly, Fandral went to the handle and took a purposeful breath. He closed his eyes at the same time that he pulled the handle. The trapdoor opened beneath Loki's feet; Fandral saw him fall and swing.

He ran downstairs and under the gallows. Two morticians were untying Loki's body; chains and shackles were removed, exposing the bruises on Loki's wrists. They laid him down on the ground as Fandral came closer. He put his hand on Loki's nose and mouth and then, over his heart; the chest did not move and air did not swell his lungs. Loki was dead.

Sif came up with the coffin. She looked at the god of chaos; his peaceful face was turning bluish and marks appeared embedded in his skin.

"He does look like a little frost giant, doesn't he?" Fandral whispered.

Sif's grinned but immediately went serious. "Snildmos is coming," she said pointing at the seer and two guards with a gurney.

"So? Loki is dead," Fandral shrugged.

"He's a seer, what if he sees Ulrika's doing?"

"Well, now we'll know who is a better seer, Ulrika or Snildmos." Fandral adjusted the mask and stepped behind Sif.

Snildmos signed for the guards to lift Loki's body onto the gurney.

"Excuse me," Sif said within a soft voice. "Where are you taking him?"

"To the healing room, we have to make sure he has died." Snildmos grinned and turned around.

"No!" Sif came closer, trying to keep calm. "Wait, sir, please. I have the casket ready to take him to Asgard. We have prepared a proper funeral."

"A funeral for a criminal? He murdered his father; Allfather!" Snildmos said. "As lsoon as the healer declares him definitely dead, we'll give him the burial he deserves."

"Which is what?" Fandral asked.

"We'll cut off his head, dismember his body and cremate his heart." He turned on his heels and nodded to the guards to follow him.

Fandral went pale. He stepped in out of desperation. "Listen, my lord," he said within a voice of authority. "I'm Vignir Aflanson, the best executioner this side of the Nine Realms. My work is impeccable and never questioned. If I say this man is dead, he is. You do not need to add more rituals."

"Lodur ordered-"

"With all due respect," Sif threw down her last card. "I represent the royal family. It was Frigga's will to protect and cherish her children as much as she could. In her absence, I have to fulfill her desires. Prince Loki must be taken back to Asgard and be prepared for a proper funeral."

"But he-"

"We all know what he was and what he did, but it is my duty to follow Frigga's instructions. Lodur knows how much she loved her youngest son. This is the only thing she wanted for him. Lodur loved Frigga as a sister, I'm sure he will understand."

"Very well, then," Snildmus said after a brief consideration. "Wait here, I will ask Lodur to come and talk to you in person."

Sif nodded. They waited until the seer entered the building, several feet away. Fandral took off his mask and grinned at the guards. Thaenest and Heas nodded with relief.

"Fandral, this time you have gone too far," Thaenest whispered. "You killed Loki!"

"I didn't, that's part of the plan," Fandral smiled. "It was well executed, if I may say so."

"What is this? How did you come to Hafnarfjall?" Sid asked.

"Lodur's personal guards," Heas nodded. "At your service, Lady Sif."

"We are still loyal to the Allfather and his sons," Thaenest whispered.

"Thor, more likely," Heas clarified. He pointed at Loki. "Is he really dead? And why is he so blue?"

"A childhood accident; and he will be dead if we do not get him out of here before Snildmos comes back with Lodur," said Sif, signing at the men with the casket.

The guards lay Loki in it, but Fandral stopped them before they closed the lid. He looked around; to make sure no one was watching. "The flask," he asked Sif. He tilted Loki's head back and opened his mouth. He poured the flask content into Loki's throat and waited.

"Did he swallow it?" Sif said, covering Loki's mouth with her hand.

"According to Ulrika, in an hour we will know," Fandral said unconvinced. "My friends," he said to the guards. "We need to go on with our journey. Can you buy us time while our ship takes off?"

"Trust us; we'll have Lodur searching the entire island before he notices you're gone," said Thaenest with a smile.

"For Thor and for Asgard," Heas saluted Sif and Fandral. Both guards turned on their heels and went away.

Sif smoothed Loki's hair before closing the coffin. Fandral snorted. "Taking advantage of him while he's dead?"

"For the good old times, I guess," she smiled, "when he used to be good."

Fandral threw the mask under the gallows. "For what it's worth, I did not enjoy killing him." He and Sif took each one end of the coffin and carried it to the ship.

* * *

_Thank you again for reviews, favs and alerts. I'm glad the story has pleased you so far :)_


	11. Sleep of death

_Thank you as always for your comments, favs and alerts. _

_Holly Martin, you write a beautiful review, I couldn't thank you personally because of the guest situation. I also want to ask you, and everybody else, to feel free to point out mistakes you feel should be corrected for the sake of improving the writing. English is not my first language and sometimes it's hard to choose the better words for description and dialogue. I know that's why betas are for, but I've been in this for a while and I never have luck finding betas who want to read my story. They're are always too busy; so it's whether trusting a friend to spot grammar errors or waiting weeks or even months to publish each chapter. :)_

_Well, without more delays, here's chapter 11_

* * *

**11. Sleep of death**

"Why are they taking so long?" said Thor, staring at the ocean beneath Bifrost. "The execution was hours ago."

"One hour ago, Thor. But do not fret, Fandral promised they would be here and you know how punctual he is." Volstagg smiled. He knew that his sense of humor did nothing for Thor when he was anguished about something. For a great warrior as he was, Odin's son was more sensitive than he would have cared to admit.

They turned to go back to Heimdall's station. Bifrost looked radiant at night; repairs were barely noticeable. Soon, they would be just another memory of Loki's nonsensical revenge against the Allfather.

"I know he's not my brother; that he is crazy and dangerous. But he's the last tie I have left to my mother. If he died, I would have failed her. Besides," Thor had to admit it; "if Loki dies, we might never know what happened with my father."

Volstagg shook his head. "I hope you will be able to make him talk. With Lodur on the throne, bad times await Asgard."

"I'm more concerned about you, Sif, Hogun and Fandral. Once my uncle knows you helped us to escape, your lives will be in danger."

"We'll keep ourselves alive until you come back," he shrugged. "You take care of yourself. No offense, but Loki is the last travelling companion I would have chosen."

Thor smiled. "I think so too."

* * *

Sif got in the ship first, and helped to secure the coffin. Fandral sat next to it, waiting anxiously while the captain paid the pallbearers. "We need to take off now."

Sif sat in front of Fandral and shrugged. "Let's trust Heas and Thaenest."She stared at the coffin and shook her head. "Your plan worked."

"It actually did, didn't it?" Fandral half smiled.

"What's wrong?"

Fandral turned to the horizon in a thoughtful way. "I don't know. Of all our adventures, this one has been one of the most intense. I killed Loki… After everything that has happened between him and us, I actually killed him," he lowered his eyes, "and it gives me a strange feeling."

Sif could relate in a way; watching Loki fall and die had been less than satisfactory. The trickster was annoying and even dangerous, but somehow, he was part of their world. Killing him so easily did not seem right.

"It was just a trick," she said, trying to bring some peace of mind to both of them. "He will wake up soon, with his nice manners and exquisite sense of humor." Sif pointed at the coffin with her chin. "Maybe it's time to bring him back to life."

Fandral smiled and nodded. He took a deep breath and opened the casket. "He looks so peaceful and…"

"Harmless?" Sif grinned, helping him to lift Loki to a sitting position. There was no response as his head fell heavily to one side. "Are you sure you did not break his neck?"

"Do not joke about that," Fandral shook Loki's shoulders. "Wake up, friend." He put his ear on Loki's chest and looked at Sif with wide eyes.

"What is the matter?" Sif asked.

"He is not breathing."

* * *

Thor and Volstagg walked slowly to Heimdall's post. Hogun welcomed them with a worried glare.

"What's wrong? What has happened?" Thor asked. "Are Sif and Fandral all right?"

"I see them, coming from Hafnarfjall," said Heimdall, staring at the horizon. "They are not alone, though."

"Lodur has just found out about Fandral's scheme," explained Hogun.

"He is trying to come back to Asgard, but his voyage has been delayed by technical difficulties," said Heimdall. "Even so, his guards are taking the city, anticipating Fandral's arrival. They will be apprehended as soon as their ship lands on the docks."

"Those are not the news I wanted to hear." Thor exhaled. "Is my brother with them?"

"I do not feel him. But it would not be the first time. Loki has his ways to go undetected."

Thor nodded. He trusted his brother to be alive and well. In the meantime, they had to come and prepare for a clean and quiet escape.

"You don't worry about anything else, my friend," Volstagg tapped Thor on the shoulder. "We'll keep Lodur and his men busy long enough for you to leave as soon as Fandral and Sif arrive."

"That's my concern, Volstagg. You are only four against an army. If I had my hammer they would not have a chance."

"But Mjiolnir is in the palace; we cannot get any closer." Hogun saw a certain look in Thor's eyes. He had never liked that look.

"Thor, think well about what you want to do." Heimdall anticipated the outcome.

"I have nothing else in mind. I need Mjiolnir. You don't have to come with me, my brothers. This is a family matter. I'll take care of everything myself."

Hogun nodded at Volstagg to follow Thor as he walked towards the horses. The bearded warrior rolled his eyes and ran.

"Thor, you are not alone in this conflict. We are your family too." Volstagg fetched his horse and smiled. "If you want to break to the palace and steal Mjiolnir, I'm with you. Let's do this together."

Thor smiled. "Thank you, my friend. I knew I can count on all of you."

* * *

Fandral and Sif lifted Loki out of the casket and laid him on the floor. They rubbed his hands and arms, trying to warm him up; but there was no response.

"Sif, if Loki dies-" Fandral said, spreading a blanket over the trickster.

"Don't talk like that. He's fine, he has to be." Sif rubbed Loki's chest again until something caught her attention. "His skin, look!"

The bluish tone was fading; they raised him to a sitting position and rubbed his back. "Come on, Loki, breathe," begged Fandral.

Loki's body shook slightly as he straightened up and grabbed Fandral's hand. "Stop," he said in a hoarse voice. Then, his eyes closed and he fell to one side, into Sif's arms. Loki blinked and looked at her with a weak smile. "Ah, Lady Sif…"

She pushed him up again and shook him some more. "Don't fall asleep now. Stay awake!"

"My throat hurts."

Fandral produced a flask. "Drink slowly," he said, holding it close to Loki's lips. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Loki stared at him with a frown. He took a moment to answer. "You two, rubbing my chest," he said, wincing with disgust. "You hanged me," he said to Fandral. Then, he turned to Sif. "You combed my hair," he grinned.

"Were you awake all the time?" Fandral asked.

"Not all the time, but I could not move… I heard you saying nice things about me." He laughed to see Fandral and Sif went back to their seats, glancing at each other. "Oh," Loki said, in fake disappointment, "party is over."

Fandral leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I told you he would be all right." He shrugged under Sif's glare; then, he glanced at Loki, who was struggling to get up. He looked pained and uncomfortable. "Do you need help or just an audience?" asked Fandral.

Loki threw him a killer look and stood up as quickly as he could. The effort left him breathless and he almost fainted. Fandral rushed to catch him before he went overboard. He made Loki sit him down between him and Sif. Loki leaned forward, with his head in his hands.

"Calm down," Sif said, spreading a blanket over his shoulders. "You were dead for more than one hour."

"You don't have to be so nice." Loki clutched the blanket and leaned back. "I know you're not doing this out of the goodness of your hearts."

"You could pretend to be grateful," said Fandral, giving him more water.

Loki drank in silence, as though he had not heard him. He stared at the horizon and frowned. "Where are we going? Asgard?" he snorted. "Silly question; going back to Asgard would be the last thing anyone in our position would do. The guards must be surrounding the main points of arrival as we speak."

Sif turned to Fandral and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I hate to admit it, but Loki is right. We can't get to Asgard undetected."

Fandral considered their situation and took a purposeful breath. "Well, we'll have to be discreet."

Loki rolled his eyes but before he would retort, Sif punched him on the shoulder. "Shut up, Loki."

"We'll get out of the ship before it reaches the docks."

"And then what? We walk all the way to Bifrost?" asked Loki in a sarcastic tone.

"First, we get out of the ship and then, we'll see what we can do," Fandral insisted.

Sif nodded. It was not the best of plans, but so far, it was the only one they had.

* * *

Entering the palace was easier than Thor had thought. He and Volstagg met Odin's guards, still loyal to the family. However, Lodur's special army was surrounding the palace and the only safe place at the moment was the kitchen.

Volstagg felt at home immediately. He sat at the table and took everything within reach. The cooks, two old women, stayed near the stove. Shryd, the household marshal gave instructions to Nym and another young girl to serve Thor in everything he needed. He only asked for coffee.

"Where is Rothld?" asked him.

"In the library, making sure Lodur's guards don't mess with the Aesir's books," said Shryd, sending one of the servants to fetch Rothld. "Lodur is disposing of Odin's possessions."

"He is? Why?" Thor frowned.

"To sell them in the black market," Nym answered. The girl always forgot she was the last one in the palace staff and she was not supposed to intervene in conversations with the royals.

Thor ignored Shryd's warning glare at Nym. "What is that about?"

"Well, my liege, your uncle has been taking small things from the main rooms to sell them. Rumor has it that he needs the money."

"But he's Odin's brother, he has money," Volstagg said, helping himself to the table.

"I don't know him that well; he was just my father's brother. He never liked me or Loki."

"Hard to believe," Volstagg chuckled. "Such good boys you were."

Thor did not know if he should assent to that. But Rohld had just come in and there were more urgent things to address. "I need Mjiolnir. Is the path to the relic room free?"

Rhold shook his head. "I'm sorry, my liege, but Lodur sent his men to guard the doors and every passage to the relics."

"He knew that would be the first place we would go." Volstagg shook his head. "We'll need a better plan."

Thor leaned on the table, thinking of their next step.

* * *

The captain maneuvered the ship to bring it as close to shore as possible. He lowered it down to a reasonable height for Sif, Loki and Fandral to jump safely. The captain did not wait to see if the three were already on the ground; Fandral had only seconds before the ship set course to open sea.

The three rolled on the ground. Sif and Fandral stood up quickly, just as they had been trained. Loki's reflexes were slower after so much physical punishment. Fandral gave him a helping hand which was not rejected.

"Now, what?" asked Loki, bending over to put his hands on his knees. They did not support him and he fell on the ground. Sif came to his side.

"Are you all right?"

"I just- need to rest," he said in a feeble voice. "Help me to those ruins, I'll be fine in a minute."

Fandral supported most of Loki's weight as they walked inside the roofless walls that had been a fortress a thousand years before. He helped the trickster to lie down. Sif took Loki's cape and covered him up.

"I'm all right," Loki insisted. "Please, do not worry about me." His sweet smile reminded them of the friend he once was. Maybe Hafnarfjall had broken his spirit after all.

Sif smiled back. "Sleep, we'll take care of everything."

Loki stretched out a trembling hand and caressed Sif's cheek. "My brother is a fool," he mumbled before closing his eyes.

Sif went outside with Fandral to reckon how much distance they still had to cover.

"Bifrost is that way," Fandral pointed north.

"We have to get there before sunset. It's a long distance to walk." Sif was not complaining; they could run all the way. However, she doubted Loki could endure the exertion.

"I know," said Fandral as though reading Sif's thoughts. "Old Fleison's farm is half way in that direction. He will lend us a couple of horses."

"That's a good plan, not to mention that it is the only one we have," Sif sighed. "Wake up Loki, we need to get out of here."

Fandral went to the ruins and came out almost immediately. "Sif, he's gone!"

* * *

_R&R! thank you :)_


	12. Go make you ready

**12. Go make you ready**

"That twisted, little-!"

"Sif, calm down." Fandral stood aside while his partner shredded Loki's cape with her sword. "We are the ones to blame, just for thinking he can be trustworthy."

Sif growled and picked up her sword. "What shall we do now?"

"We still need the horses," he shrugged. "We cannot leave Loki wondering around."

"We will go after him. He can't go far in the state he is."

Fandral snorted. "He was playing with us. He used us to escape."

Sif shook her head. "No, Fandral. He is sick, in more ways than he shows. What we need to know is where he might be going."

Fandral looked at the sky and grinned. "I think I have an idea where he might be now." He pointed at the raven flying into the city.

"Let's go for the horses, then."

* * *

Loki crossed the gardens, cloaked in the colours of the night. However, his magic wore out just when he had found shelter on the other side of the street. Several guards passed by without noticing him; still, Loki's heart pounded and a feeling of despair invaded his soul and body. He fell on his knees, hugging himself to stop the tremors. His head was full of noise, just as it had happened during Raegos' attacks.

He was in pain; cold ran uncontrollably through his body. He did not admit it, he could not; but he knew that fear was crawling inside. The worst part was not to be sure if it would ever go away. Loki covered his face with his hands, holding back the tears, looking for his inner strength. More frustrating than pain was not being able to use his magic at full power. Magic was an essential part of his being. It was also the only connection with Frigga that was left to him.

He sat down on a bench in the square, feeling dizzy and weak; he hesitated before deciding where to go next. He might visit Ulrika; her potions always made him feel better. After consideration, that seemed the only option. He stood up too quickly and lost balance. Loki sat again, waiting for the world to stop swirling around him. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Out of nowhere, Muninn came to perch on the lamppost in front of him. "Why are you still with me? Go, I release you; look for Huginn, let me alone."

The raven cawed and took flight. However, she did not go far. Loki knew that Muninn was waiting for him to follow her, like before. He hesitated, but at the present there were not many choices. He got up slowly and started to walk. He was too busy putting one foot in front of the other to pay much attention to where he was going.

"I'll fight my way to the relic room; there is nothing else to do." Thor was determined as he stood up; the same determination that had gotten him in trouble in Jotunheim, some time ago. Volstagg was not that eager to follow Thor.

"We don't have many weapons. You know they will shoot at us with all they have."

"Do you have any suggestions? Unless we can make ourselves invisible, we have to try the hardest way." Thor had just finished talking that when the pantry's door opened abruptly. He was astounded to see his younger brother step in.

Loki was no less surprised and both yelled at the same time:

"What are you doing here?"

Volstagg shushed them both. "There are guards outside, someone can hear you." In a more civilized tone, he turned to Loki and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Loki rolled his eyes, lost colour and almost fainted. Thor held him up until they reached the table and he could sit down. Loki rested his elbows on the table, covering his face with both hands.

"What happened? Weren't the hinterlands soundless enough for you?" he asked Thor.

"Weren't you supposed to be hanged today?" Thor retorted.

"I was," Loki lowered the collar of his shirt. His neck was still reddish from the rope. "But first, I was poisoned, and died. I was brought back to life; I'm exhausted." He leaned back on the chair.

"Are you all right?" asked Thor rather concerned.

Loki chose to ignore the question. "Nym! Water!"

The young girl, raised to serve the royal family, did not even hesitate. She handled him the glass and he took it without even looking at her. Nym lowered her eyes; she was returning to her post when she gasped.

Loki glared at her. "What?"

"You are bleeding, my lord," she whispered.

Thor sighed and signed at Shryd for a towel. Loki rubbed his forehead while she and one of the servants attended to his wound. Thor proceeded, trying not to pay attention to his brother's condition. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," Loki winced. "Well, I used to live here."

"Where are Fandral and Sif?" asked Volstagg, filling his plate one more time.

"Last time I saw them, they were heading for Bifrost."

"Why aren't you with them?" Thor leaned forward.

"We differed about which path to follow," Loki took a sip of water and breathed deeply.

"What did you do, jumped out of the ship?" asked Volstagg.

"Actually, we did," Loki dismissed the servants. "Lodur was at our back; we abandoned the ship before he could see us."

"Where?" Thor was losing his patience.

"At the shore, near the marketplace."

Volstagg shook his head. "It will take them half a day to reach Bifrost."

"They were running," Loki grinned through a wave of pain.

"Why aren't you with them?" Thor insisted.

Loki's eyes glowed with quiet rage. "Because I do not need them where I'm going."

"And where exactly are you going?" asked Thor.

Loki shrugged. "Far from you, and your damn family, what else? Asgard is yours, I don't want it anymore. I will be out of your hair; there are nine realms to choose from."

"And you have been making friends in all of them," snorted Volstagg.

Thor kept his voice calm, taking into consideration that the servants were there. The group was quietly doing their daily work, struggling to give Thor and Loki some privacy. "Lodur will go after you. He will turn everyone in the Nine Realms against you."

"And that would be so hard to do," snorted Volstagg, paying no attention to Loki's glare.

"That is my choice," Loki said. "I do what I want, Thor."

Volstagg finished his meal and was ready to move on. "Let him be, we need to think about Fandral and Sif. Let's get Mjiolnir."

Loki laughed and leaned on the table. "Is that what you came for? Your hammer? It is sealed under a ton of chains and locks; not to mention guards and magic."

"I will get in the relics chamber one way or another." Loki breathed deeply, folding his arms over his chest. "What?"

"Nothing," said Loki. He got up slowly, heading for the stove. Both cooks lowered their heads and recoiled. He uncovered one pot and stirred the soup with the scoop.

Loki's attitude made Thor nervous. He knew something; he was up to something. "What are you up to, Loki?"

"Nothing, brother of mine; I'm leaving."

Thor stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Where's Father?"

The question took Loki by surprise. He tightened his jaw and glared at him.

"You cannot even lie about that, can you?" Thor said. "Until you have an answer, I cannot let you go."

"Oh, and how are you going to stop me? You're an intruder too," Loki grinned.

"I'm thinking about that. You may shut up in the meantime." Thor paced around the table.

Volstagg paced on the opposite direction and they met in the middle. "How about a secret passage? The palace has plenty. The relic chamber should have one too."

Thor and Volstagg glanced at Loki who was leaning his elbow on the counter. He looked rather happy with himself. Thor came up to him. "There is a passage, isn't there?"

"Could be, could be not," he shrugged.

"Loki, we have no time for pranks."

"I can make him talk." Volstagg's words set the kitchen staff on alert. They were peaceful servants; no one was used to violence.

Loki put his hands in front of him. "No need for that. Let's say that I might know a secret passage. I could show it to you in exchange for something."

"For what?" Thor stopped inches away from Loki's face.

"You, out of my back; stop following me." He dipped his finger in the soup and licked it. "That is the only condition I ask; Mjiolnir for my freedom."

Thor felt that every pair of eyes was on him; waiting for an answer. He straightened up and sighed. "All right, I accept the conditions."

Loki's eyes glowed when he stared at his stepbrother. "Give me your word."

Thor lowered his eyes and nodded. "You have my word."

* * *

Sif brought her horse next to Fandral's; she could not believe they were following the ravens again. "The palace? Do you actually think Loki would come back to the palace?"

"I don't know," Fandral shrugged, pointing at the birds. "Both ravens are here. Couldn't it be possible that… maybe they know where Loki is?"

"I think you have too much faith in birds." Sif sighed. "How would they know we've been looking for Loki?"

"Come on, Sif; we need to start somewhere."

"Fandral, we're traitors; there are men after us."

Fandral covered his nose with his handkerchief and opened the gate to the chicken coops and the pig pens. They crossed the orchard and entered through the servants doors. "Who would be so stupid as to come to the palace? They will not look for us here."

* * *

Volstagg and Thor followed Loki to the pantry and through a door behind one of the shelves. The corridors were narrow and dark. The brick walls looked gray and muggy under the green light Loki had produced in the palm of his hand. Brightness died upon contact with the concave roof. As they turned into a dark passage, Loki's light died.

"What happened?" asked Volstagg.

Thor looked at Loki, shaking and pale. He touched his shoulder, gently and with concern.

"D-dark," Loki mumbled for Thor's ears only.

"It is," Thor said softly. "Let's go."

Loki stopped again, following something with his eyes. "What's that?! Do you hear it?"

Volstagg grabbed his sword in alert mode. He looked around and glanced at Thor with a shrug. Thor laid one hand on Loki's shoulder. "There's nothing here, only shadows," he spoke as gently as he could. "We need to go on."

Volstagg caught up with Thor and whispered. "What was that about?"

"I don't know," said Thor watching his brother closely. They had reached the end of the tunnel; a brick wall with no more turns to follow.

Loki hesitated; he closed his eyes as though every movement caused him severe pain in his heart. He touched the wall and a section of the bricks, big enough to be a door, vanished before their eyes. They entered to a very familiar room. Even Thor looked uncomfortable as they went in.

He sounded annoyed when he spoke. "Mother's bedroom should be sealed."

"It is," said Loki in a barely perceptible voice. "She and I made this passage many years ago… I haven't come here since… not even as Odin." He waved the invisible bricks back into a solid wall.

Then, he went to the books Frigga kept by her bed. The lamp was still on her night table along with a hair comb and jewelry. He closed his eyes to stop the tears that had begun to fill in. He shuddered and all the crystal in the room trembled.

Thor feared what would happen next. He rushed to Loki's side and called his name. He grabbed his arm and shook him out of his reverie. The tremors in the room stopped immediately; meanwhile, Loki kept his eyes on the floor, struggling to control his own.

"I did not want to come," he whispered. "I wanted to get as far away as possible… I didn't want to come back here!"

Thor held him when he stumbled and made him sit on a chair. He understood Loki's pain; having been imprisoned when everything happened… when their world was torn apart beyond recognition. They could not set time back and save their mother. They both would have to live with this weight on their shoulders forever.

"How did you end up here?" Thor asked him.

Loki looked at the balcony and the raven flew in to perch on his shoulder. At the same time, the color came back to his face and the tremor in his hands stopped. "Muninn was my guide. She wanted me to come. Why?" he turned to Thor.

"Perhaps she wanted you two together," Volstagg answered the question.

Loki and Thor exchanged glances that they had thought were not there anymore. For a brief moment, the brothers found each other. Feuds and rivalries stepped aside.

Volstagg did not want to interrupt; but time was pressing. "Thor, we need to keep on going."

Thor helped Loki up and waited until he was focused enough to go on. Volstagg took the rear to make sure they would not get lost in gloomy thoughts. They crossed another threshold and went back to the tunnels.

* * *

_Next chapter will be the last. Thank you always for showing your interest and support. I'm glad you've liked the story._

_R&R :)_


	13. The whisper goes so

_Final chapter. Not really a suitable ending but enough to achieve the main goal, getting Thor and Loki together for the next adventure._

**13.** **The whisper goes so**

Life in the kitchen was going back to normal when the door opened abruptly. Rhodl took a deep breath of relief when he saw Fandral and Lady Sif. He welcomed them and briefed them on the latest news.

"I knew it! I was right," Fandral smiled. "We did not lose Loki after all."

"No, but now they're running through the palace walls like mice; while Lodur's men are surrounding any possible way of escape." Sif went to the pantry. She hit the walls and pushed every shelf; nothing moved.

"I suppose we have to wait. If Thor is successful, he will come back with Mjiolnir." Fandral sighed and put his sword away.

* * *

Loki dissolved the bricks on the wall and they entered the relic room. Although he had been there several times, wonder never ceased. Thor came in next, cautiously looking for traps and alarms.

"Do not touch anything," he warned his brother.

"The alarm system is still in repair. Engineers have been too busy remodeling the palace." Loki turned to Volstagg. "Being Odin is a fulltime job."

Volstagg's laugher died when Thor glared at him. The warrior cleared his throat. "Can we make haste? We have cats at our tails."

"That is what I'm trying to do; but Mjiolnir doesn't respond." Thor hit the walls, looking for hollow segments. "They made me put it on a pedestal, under spells and chains. But now I can't see it. Loki?"

"I'm on it," he said scanning the room with an open hand. He stopped in front of a golden brick wall. "It's there."

"Where?" Thor tapped the wall.

"Behind that wall."

Volstagg shrugged. "Can't you just dissolve the wall, like before?"

The trickster stared at the wall and sighed. "Snildmos used the Conjuration of the Grand Shield."

"Shield?" Thor raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any idea how to open it?"

Loki bit his lower lip, as though thinking of a good answer. He shrugged, giving up. "It dissolves with ice."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Thor came closer with intending to push Loki if he did not move on his own.

"It might have another magic spell attached. I could end up blowing up myself and Asgard for all that matter."

"At least, we'll get something out of it," Volstagg said. "Come on, we can't stay here guessing."

Thor took a deep breath; he turned to Loki and nodded. "It's your choice. I won't make you do anything that might hurt you."

"It's a little late for that," Loki stepped forward; his face stern. He gathered strength from determination and rage to touch the wall with both hands. First his fingers, then, his entire arms turned blue. Thor could see the wall freeze little by little around Loki's hands. Breathing sounded difficult and Thor feared his brother would pass out.

"Just a little more, it is close now," he encouraged Loki, reckoning that the frozen area was now enough to pass through. He pulled Loki away and quickly, he hit the wall with hands in a fist. The frozen bricks burst into fragments before his eyes.

Mjiolnir was exactly where Thor had left it, chained to the floor. Loki sat up and rubbed his hands together. "Poor little one, I know exactly how it must feel," he said pointing at the chains.

Volstagg examined the hammer closer and shook his head. "I can't see the end of these chains."

"They are magic too. They go all the way to the center of the planet; held together by a giant snake called Datha." Loki sat on his heels; looking at a really impressed Volstagg.

"Is that right?" the warrior said.

Loki burst into laughter. "I'm just kidding! They're probably locked under the tiles; which doesn't make them any easier to break."

"Enough, Loki," Thor warned him, looking around for a weapon to break the chains.

"That's exactly what I say," Loki got up slowly. "I can go now, can't I?"

"Not just yet," Thor examined the wall of weapons. "We still have to get out and you're the one who knows the safest passages." He grabbed the biggest mace he found and went back. He lifted the weapon, prepared to give a good blow. Unexpectedly, he fell down unconscious.

Volstagg rushed to his side and began to feel dizzy. With a blow of energy, he dragged Thor far from the hammer and the chains. "What happened?" he asked Loki, convinced that the trickster knew.

"The dying chains," Loki shrugged. "I had my suspicious; I hate being right all the time."

"You should have warned us!" He shook Thor, trying to wake him up. "Come on, open your eyes!"

"There's no use, the dying chains suck out the intruders' life. He's dying." Loki sighed resignedly and headed for the wall.

"Wait! Where are you going? Volstagg stood up quickly. "You can't leave."

"Ha! Try to stop me," Loki walked resolutely towards the wall and crashed against it. He fell on his back, more surprised than physically hurt.

"What are you doing?" asked Volstagg.

Loki sat up, staring at the wall in disbelief. He shook his head violently, seeking words to express his frustration. "No! I've got to get out of here now!" He stood up and ran towards another wall, with the same results. He got up again and grabbed his head in his hands. "This is not happening!"

Volstagg tackled Loki before he slammed against yet another wall. "What do you think you're doing? Stop!"

"Someone has locked us in here! I can't open the passages!" He gasped. "I've got to get out."

"We need Mjiolnir and we need Thor! You are the wizard, do something!"

Loki wrestled to get his hands back. "I've got to leave now." His energy began to decrease as he looked at Thor, lifeless on the floor. "I can't… can't go back there…"

Volstagg helped him to kneel on the floor. Loki lowered his head, his arms on his knees.

Volstagg scratched his head, thinking of what to do. He crouched down and laid a hand on the trickster's shoulder. "Loki, please, we can get out of here, but we need Thor. Tell me what to do? He is not dead yet, is he?"

"I'm so tired," he whispered; then, he accepted Volstagg's help to get up. He went to his brother's side and put his hand on Thor's chest. "I haven't done this in a while; since I was a child, to be precise."

"Someone we know?"

"A rabbit," Loki shrugged.

"What had happened to it?"

Loki grinned and closed his eyes. "I killed him."

Voltagg shook his head; he should know better, every Loki story ended up with someone dead. "What are you going to do?"

"Something you wouldn't understand. Just stay behind me, I might black out after this." He stood up and put his hands at chest height, palms down, one over the other. He closed his eyes and mumbled words in a language that Volstagg did not recognize. His breathing became deep and serene. The entire rite lasted no more than three seconds before Thor grunted and opened his eyes. Loki tilted his head backwards and fell in Volstagg's arms. The warrior laid him down gently and went to check on Thor.

"What happened," said the god of thunder, rubbing the back of his head.

"Magic," Volstagg said pointing at Loki. "We need to regroup."

* * *

Lodur crossed the main doors of the palace and met his Number One. "Where are they?"

"In the relic room. We still don't know how they got in but we're not letting them go."

"I know exactly how they got in, idiots!"

"It doesn't matter; I closed every possible point of escape." Snildmos showed proudly the talisman in his hand.

Lodur walked, almost ran, followed by his seer and his personal guards. "When I put my hands on those little brats, there will be nothing left of them to be remembered!"

* * *

Fandral closed the kitchen door very slowly. "Lodur is here," he whispered. "The seer trapped Thor and Volstagg in the relic room."

"Shall we follow him?"Sif said, sword in hand.

"We'll better prepare the exit plan; I have the feeling that they are going to need one." Fandral sat at the table and called Rhotld. "How fresh is tomorrow's chicken soup?"

* * *

Loki was sitting up against a wall. Thor went to him, although weak and pale, the trickster was already alert. Volstagg watched them from a distance; at the same time, he kept an eye on Mjiolnir. Thor crouched next to his brother to assess the situation.

"Are you sure you don't know any counter spell?" Loki shook his head, looking the other way. Thor saw a hint of deceit in his brother's demeanor. He tilted his head and met Loki's eyes. "Loki, we're trapped here; Lodur is about to arrive. We need Mjiolnir."

Loki tightened his jaw; he lowered his eyes and took a deep breath. "There is a spell… but involves darkness and a great deal of concentration; at this time, I cannot handle any."

Volstagg grunted. "Are you mocking us again? It's useless, Thor, let's take some of those weapons and fight our way out of here."

"I can't leave Asgard without Mjiolnir." He turned to Loki, who jumped at his brother's touch. "Come on, I'll help you through it, please. I trusted you once and you died for us. Trust me now; nothing is going to hurt you. We need to get out of here."

Loki got up and walked slowly towards the hammer. "We need complete darkness. Once I reach absorption, the weakest links will be revealed to you, in the order in which they had to be opened. You have to memorize the sequence quickly because it won't last."

Thor nodded for Volstagg to turn off all the lamps. As the light began to dim, Loki's heart beat faster. He turned several times to look over his shoulder, as though he had heard something. Thor stepped in front of him and held his hands.

"Look at me, there is nothing here but the three of us. Darkness is just the absence of light."

Loki nodded nervously and closed his eyes. He started mumbling a chant when suddenly he broke off. "What was that?" he gasped.

Thor squeezed his hands. "Trust me, brother. I will protect you."

"Maybe the weapons are a better idea," Volstagg hurried them.

"No," said Loki, "I can do this." He stared at Thor and nodded.

Once again, Loki closed his eyes; but this time, his features relaxed as he reached the deepest level of concentration. The chant flew out without more interruptions and at one point, it stopped. Thor looked at the chains and counted six links shining, one after the other.

Volstagg was paying attention, and as much as he tried, he could not remember the combination. He trusted Thor to do a better job to free Mjiolnir. The links stopped shining as the same time that Loki stopped chanting. He lost balance and fell in Thor's arms. He was weak but not to the point of losing consciousness. He lied on the floor while Volstagg lit some lamps.

Thor grabbed a hammer with a pick on one end. He looked at Loki as though seeking his approval.

"If you mistake the sequence, you'll die." Loki talked distantly, as he did when he was telling the truth.

Thor hit the first link and it opened wide. Volstagg nodded, because he remembered that one, and the next; the third was tricky, but he remembered that sequence too. When Thor broke the fourth link, Volstagg blinked. They were still alive.

Loki got up and stumbled to the door. He thought he had heard something. He put his ear on the massive gold door and sighed. "They are here! And someone has the key."

"Do something," said Volstagg.

Loki put his hand on the door and a blue light covered it. He closed his eyes, gathering strength out of his own will. Thor broke the fifth link.

At the other side of the door, was Lodur, about to kick it open if he could. The seer has been battling with the key for the last thirty seconds. "Snildmos! What is taking you so long?" roared Lodur.

"Magic, my liege; Loki is on the other side, holding the door with a magic field."

"Can't you break it? We do not need Thor getting his hammer back!" He punched the door with a fist. Although it hurt like hell, he did not show it.

Snildmos formed a bolt of light between his hands and threw it against the door.

Loki felt the energy like a ton of bricks on his face. He groaned and tilted his head backwards but did not yield.

"Are you all right?" asked Volstagg. "Your nose is bleeding."

"Get that damn hammer now!" he panted.

Thor glanced at his brother, hoping that he would endure for a few more minutes. "This chain is about to give up. Just a couple of blows and…" Thor stared at the links and shook his head. "I forgot the sequence! Which one came last?" he asked to himself.

Volstagg's mind was blank too. He pointed randomly. "That one!"

Thor stared at it for a moment and nodded. He lifted the hammer over his shoulder and hit the link next to the chosen one. The chain exploded in sparks and dust. Mjiolnir trembled and reached for Thor's hand. "Done!"

Loki heard him and prepared his strength to hit Snildmos off his shoes. "I'll go first." He shot a bolt of light that pierced the door. He fell on one knee, grinning at the spectacle of the seer, lying lifeless, at the end side of the hallway.

Snildmos' flying across the hallway on the opposite direction had provoked Lodur's rage. He sent his guards inside the room. Thor was already waiting to repel them with one fist at a time. Loki rolled his eyes; his brother's "no-killing" policy could cost him his life one day. He got up and threw several soldiers against the walls with bolts of blue light.

Volstagg grabbed one of the soldiers, ready to punch him on the face. He immediately recognized Heas. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a soldier, you, mountain giant!" Heas wrestled to get free. "Thaenest sent the weakest soldiers to guard the side doors. Punch me and get out of here, now!"

Volstagg pushed him against the wall as gently as he could. Thor swung his hammer to make way through the corridor. He ran to grab Loki's arm. "Let's go!"

Lodur heard the commotion building up inside the relic room and ran for cover. Soldiers were repelled by lightning, opening the path for Volstagg and Loki. Thor stayed behind, guarding the fallen soldiers with his hammer.

"To the left!" He yelled at Volstagg.

"No!" Fandral yelled from the opposite side. "Over here!"

Thor reached Volstagg, at the very moment that the warrior let go of Loki to fight a group of soldiers in front of him. Loki turned and threw a bolt of light that blinded another group on their left. The effort caused him a dizzy spell and he lost his balance. Thor threw some blows and pulled his brother off of the floor. They were at the door when a thousand chickens jumped between them and the soldiers at their backs. Feathers blew and cackling echoed under the high ceiling. The soldiers were confused as they dodged and tackled the birds. Thor took advantage of the turmoil to stop and slam his hammer on the floor.

Tiles exploded violently, obstructing the path out of the palace. Thor saw Volstagg recover from the blast and ran outside. Loki was right behind him.

"Where did those chickens come from?" the trickster coughed.

"You may thank me later," said Fandral, bringing up two fresh horses.

Loki was about to grab one when Thor stopped him. "No, you come with me."

"Sorry, I ride alone; besides, I'm not going with you. You gave me your word and I'm holding you to it." He pointed at Thor with his finger. Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Loki turned and at the same time, Volstagg connected a punch on his jaw.

Loki fell backwards in Thor's arms. Fandral and Volstagg held him while Thor mounted his horse. They lifted Loki on the sadle, his head resting on Thor's chest.

"He's going to be very angry when he wakes up," said Sif, riding up on her horse. She gave Fandral the reins of another and Volstagg took the horse that was left.

They started a wild ride through the city and towards the mountains. After several minutes, they stopped. Thor looked at his friends, already longing for their company. "My friends, we take different paths from here. Are you ready to follow without me?"

"We'll go to the Silver Hills; the snows are coming and the roads will be closed," said Fandral.

"Lodur won't hunt us till next spring." Sif could not hide her sadness.

Volstagg, who hated goodbyes, patted Thor's horse. "Off you go, Hogun and Heimdall await."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Sif asked Thor, pointing at Loki. "Come with us."

"We cannot stay in Asgard. Lodur won't give us a second chance and we are outnumbered. I'll take Loki to Midgard and make sure he's safe. I'll come back as soon as possible." Thor read the suspicion in his friends' faces. "Do not worry. He's too weak to be a threat. I'll watch him; we'll be all right."

Sif shrugged, spurring her horse closer. "Have a safe trip, my friend," she said and kissed Thor's cheek. She glanced at Loki and smiled. There was something appealing in an unconscious Loki. He did not seem so chaotic when he slept.

"See you soon, my friends," Thor saluted them and turned his horse in the direction of Bifrost.

Sif and the Warriors Three stayed put until Thor was out of sight.

"Come on, my friends," said Fandral in a cheerful tone, "we have to set our ground on the wake of Thor's return."

* * *

Lodur pushed everyone in his way out. For some reason, his personal guards seemed slow and confused. When he made it to the gardens, there was no trace of the group. "Thaenest! Gather your men at once!"

"Yes, my lord," said he, turning to Heas. Both soldiers exchanged glances.

Lodur would never know why his army had delayed their parting so long.

"This is not the end, Thor! There is no place in the Nine Realms where you and your brother can hide!" Lodur shouted from the rooftops. "Snildmos! Make your magic; I need to know where they are heading to!"

* * *

Thor kept Loki's head on his lap while Hogun dressed his wound. "His fever is high," said the warrior. "I don't remember ever seeing him so ill."

"I'll take him away from here, he needs to rest and recover. He hasn't had a moment of peace since-"

"Since he died?" Hogun smiled. "He has tricked you many times and you always come back for him, why?"

"Some bonds can never be broken," said Thor.

"Your mother raised you both wisely; your father meant well too."

Thor nodded sadly. "I keep my hopes high on his return. In the meantime, I have to take care of my brother." He turned to the observation post. "Heimdall? Is there any news?"

"I see your mortal, now. She is in the middle of magnetic fields and the coordinates are highly unpredictable. I will send you as close as possible."

"Are you sure you can find her?" Hogun asked, helping to carry Loki to the transportation point.

"We'll manage. There is nothing else we can do now." Thor kept Loki on his feet, with an arm around his waist. "I'll be back as soon as I know Loki is safe and well. Go with the others and wait for me in the Silver Hills. Stay away from Lodur. Be safe, my friend."

"Be safe, Thor, and come back soon."

Hogun stepped back as the lights surrounded Thor and Loki. After they disappeared, he turned to Heimdall. "Was it wise to send them to Midgard?"

"That's the only place they should be now," Heimdall shrugged. "I only follow my liege's instructions. He knows what he's doing."

"Does Thor know what he's doing too?"

"He will find out in time. We only have to wait and see."

The end.

* * *

_Well, I hope you've found this story interesting. The next will be ready to publish within a few weeks, providing my tragic real life doesn't step on my path. Thank you for your alerts and favs. It's been a very nice start in a new fandom. _

_Read and review, input is good to know where the next adventure is going. _

_Sierra_


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